US Graduate’s Viral Video Exposes Shock of 17% Student Loan Interest Rates

Alyssa Jeacoma, 26, has increased the shock after discovering that some of her student loans carry interest rates as high as 17%, a revelation that left her in tears and sparked a viral TikTok post shared with millions.

Jeacoma first took out loans at age 17, enrolling in psychology at D’Youville University in Buffalo, New York. She was not sure about financial matters and with little guidance from her parents, she trusted that Sallie Mae would handle her tuition and that she’d only need to repay $ 100 a month, a vague understanding without awareness of the complexities of interest or loan terms. 

Over her five and a half year college career, Jeacoma borrowed about $ 8,000 per semester, amassing roughly $85,000 in debt. It wasn’t until recently that she learned not all loans carried the same rate, some were as high as 17%, others around 10% and that these variations could drastically affect repayment efforts. 

Her TikTok video resonated widely, drawing over 5.4 million views and thousands of comments. Support drew in from fellow borrowers who shared her frustration, while critics urged her to “suck it up.” Jeacoma addressed both sides, acknowledging responsibility for her debt but also emphasizing the emotional toll and systemic shortcomings in financial education. 

Jeacoma has mobilized: she’s reviewing her loan portfolio, prioritizing high-interest balances, and working two jobs to make progress on repayment. “It’s such a scam and a horrible system,” she says,  showing the lack of financial literacy in schools that left her, at graduation, unfamiliar with basic tools like writing a check.

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