The first and perhaps obvious thing to do is make sure you fully understand the contract - it is legally binding, after all. Agreements must be clear, and you should be able to understand it ...

"Not only do student loans fail to provide students with the quality of life they deserve, but they must suffer a debt burden which threatens to curtail their ambitions, too," Mr Stanley said.

Still, it sometimes feels like a hybrid of Jerry Springer and Lifetime, with episodes like “My Son Thinks My Wife Is Using Me ...