children and affect what is kind of jobs i choose. >> reporter: columbia student thought about drama but tuition costs forced her to drop out. now at age 30, she's only just finished her undergraduate degree. >> we're asking too much of our college students and we're narrowing and narrowing the field of who could be a college student in the country. >> reporter: american college grads owe more dlan sr. trillion in collective student loans. as tuition costs continue to soar, rising interest rates could soon be their next headache. interest rates need-based or subsidized stafford loans was fixed at 3.4%. now that congress hasn't intervened, that rate is scheduled to double. >> i definitely think that doubling the rate to 67.8% would increase default rates because, again, the students receiving the subsidized loans are from the lowest income brackets. >> reporter: while some lawmakers want to keep the rates at the lower 3.4% at least