I Left Law School With $100,000 Debt. My Student Loan Has Been Forgiven

I recently had my student loans forgiven—and that's a big deal, a really big deal.

For close to two decades, I have been working with immigrant children, first, as an educator, and then later as an attorney.

Loan forgiveness marks a milestone in my career, and it also gave me the opportunity to reflect on the importance of the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), what it has meant to me, and how it has enabled me to serve others.

I always knew I wanted to work with immigrant children and families. As the daughter of an immigrant from Colombia with a big heart for kids, it seemed like the natural fit. Initially out of college, I worked as a bilingual teacher. I loved it, but I wanted to expand my impact so I attended Rutgers Law School - Newark.

Though I pursued my law degree as an evening student working full-time, I still left law school with well over $100,000 of debt, ironically a real bargain compared to other law schools. My law school debt piled on onto my existing undergraduate loans.

Thanks to the PSLF, I made the choice to pursue public service anyway, and my work has been incredibly rewarding. I have practiced education and immigration law, working exclusively with immigrant children and families, and I know my work has changed many lives.

I feel extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity to have partnered with families along their journeys and to have dedicated my career to work that is both meaningful and fulfilling.

Though I faithfully made my required monthly payments, compounding interest on my loans resulted in an additional $50,000 of student debt during the decade following my law school graduation.

Large student loans, a high interest rate, and a public interest salary make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for student loan borrowers to pay off debt.

This is why the PSLF is essential—not just for me, or any individual borrower or student, but for society. The program creates essential pathways to public service for thousands of students who would have never been able to afford to dedicate their lives to serving others, but now can. Reducing payments and eliminating debt allows graduates to overcome the financial barriers of public service work. It's a gift that keeps on giving.

In 2023, ten years after graduating law school, my student loans were forgiven. I am very thankful. There were a lot of moving parts and paperwork to follow up on to make sure everything was in order. I understand why people face challenges in getting certifications or certain documents from past employers, making things more difficult. But luckily, my trajectory after law school aligned perfectly.

For me, like many working parents, not having the burden of large student loan payments means I can redirect those funds toward supporting my family. My son is four, and my daughter is due in September. Now, I can focus those funds on supporting the things my children need, whether it's paying for essential childcare, saving for their education, or providing opportunities for their growth and development. It allows my husband and I to work together to support our family. That, to me, is really meaningful as a mother.

Removing or not having the program would greatly reduce the number of people pursuing public service professions because it would be financially impossible for upcoming graduates to do so.

From being in this profession for so long, I can tell you that many of my colleagues and friends who have dedicated their lives to serving the public rely on this program entirely, as did I.

Now that my loans are paid off, I'm still working in the public interest. I breathe a little deeper, and perhaps sleep more soundly, but mostly the biggest difference for me is a more complete understanding of how this program makes such a difference—not just for students with crippling amounts of debt, but also to the communities we serve who benefit from the work of dedicated public servants.

Priscilla Monico Marin, Esq. is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Consortium for Immigrant Children, a statewide legal services and policy advocacy organization in New Jersey. She has 20 years of experience working with immigrant children and families - first as a bilingual educator and then as an attorney.

All views expressed in this article are the author's own.

As told to Newsweek's associate editor Carine Harb.

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