Our Student Loan Secrets: Emily's Story

Emily has more than $80,000 in debt. She's 36 and says she doesn't use the degree that saddled her with student loans. She believes that her early financial decision-making changed the course of her and her husband's lives. "I was told that I need a college education in order to have any kind of acceptable or reasonable life in this society," she says. "And I just wish I would've just made some different choices."

More than 44 million Americans have student loan debt, but we don’t often always feel comfortable talking about it. Death, Sex & Money wants to show you you’re not alone. Explore our ongoing project Our Student Loan Secrets to find out how other people are dealing with their debt, tell your story, and find out where you fit in the student loan landscape.