Consumer complaint received 2020-09-23
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: TX
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Sub-issue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan

Complaint:
I am currently enrolled in the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program. In fact, the only reason I was able to attend XXXX XXXX, earning my XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and a certificate in XXXX, was because I knew that this program existed. Since I am a first generation college XXXX, I assumed that this was my only option. I had an excellent GPA and was awarded meager scholarships, which still landed me with a debt that has now accumulated to almost {$180000.00} ( thanks to interest! ). Sadly, I worked multiple jobs throughout college and graduate schools to keep myself afloat. 

In order to qualify for the PLSF, I have had to take a number of jobs with very low pay compared to the private sector in my field. I justified these career choices because there was no other way, short of winning the lottery, that I would be able to pay off my enormous student debt. I have worked in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and found myself in dangerous situations on the job. I have been physically attacked by a XXXX while at work. Not the kind of work I had expected to find myself doing as a XXXX. 

Now, due to COVID-19 ( a presidentially declared disaster ), I have been laid off my job as a XXXX  at a XXXX. All these months since I have lost my job have not counted towards PLSF because of their requirements. I have worked tirelessly to secure another qualifying job without success. Trying to find a government job or non-profit role during a pandemic is next to impossible. But if I go and work for the private sector, I will not be able to qualify for loan repayment, and no job will pay me anywhere the amount I would need to pay off {$180000.00} of debt. 

I believe that I should not be penalized for the time that I have lost, and continue to lose, while trying to continue to meet the qualifications for PLSF. As it stands, I still have 6.33 more years left in the program. I have already sacrificed and pushed my life back in so many ways due to these loans. I do not have a house or even think that it is possible for me to be able to buy one in the near future. I have not had children due to the burden. I have not been able to have a wedding. The longer time ticks away and I dont have a qualifying job to count towards those 6.33 years I have left, the longer I lose more. 

And for what? I went to school to earn a degree in a field that I already knew wasnt the highest paying because I had a dream of helping people. I want to ease peoples pain, and more importantly, work towards addressing the problems with ageism in our healthcare system and society at large. I had a noble goal. I paid {$16000.00} extra to earn that certificate in XXXX, only to find out once I entered the real world that jobs in this sector are far and few between. The funding for older adult XXXX  XXXX is so miniscule its absurd. 

Im hoping someone will hear how ridiculous this situation is and offer some kind of support, for me and for everyone else that is stuck in this condition. I know I am not the only person experiencing this life. I hope the government will realize that at the very least this time should not count against those that lost their qualifying PLSF jobs due to COVID-19. I would love to be working at my job still, but thats not possible. It no  longer exists, but my loans do.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation