system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why do people who have college loans seem shocked by or unable to pay their loan amounts?

I understand that the cost of a college education these days is egregious, the textbook racket should be brought under control, and that sometimes people's circumstances in life change. That notwithstanding, it seems like students who have their loans coming due are asking in various forums how they can pay for it, get out of it, or find some other way to reduce their financial burden.

Is this a case of kids not reading the fine print when they agree to a loan? Surely the interest rate, how much they will owe in the end, and the due date are no surprise. I'm not trying to surreptitiously promote my own feelings on the matter. I genuinely don't understand why I see so many instances of this and would like a better understanding.

Edit: Thank you all for such great answers!
gpt
Because people have been told their entire life "Go get your degree and you'll be guaranteed a good job" or "If you don't get a degree, you'll never get a good job." Many students are exiting from university to find, even with their degree, they can't find a job. Many accept jobs paying minimum wage and part time, jobs they could have acquired with their high school degree.

During college, they were told "Just take out loans, you'll be able to pay for them with that nice job we told you about" or "your employer will help you pay them back." Well, when they take the job at a supermarket that barely supports them, they find themselves unable to pay because they kind not find the quality of job they were promised when they signed up for college.