A viral TikTok video exposing high student loan interest rates has sparked nationwide outrage over lending practices where teenagers feel trapped in debt they cannot understand or escape.
Alyssa Jeacoma, 26, discovered that her student loans carry interest rates as high as 17%, which is higher than many credit cards, despite making $1,500 monthly payments for two years. Her tearful TikTok, filmed outside a TJ Maxx where she says she couldn’t afford to shop, has been viewed 6.9 million times and ignited conversations about financial literacy and student loan lending practices.
