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How to Pay Off $100K in Student Loans in Your Twenties
Emily graduated from Bentley with nearly $100,000 in student loans. Federal loans, private loans, whatever it took. She started her career in credit research at Loomis Sayles and immediately went to work on her debt.
The strategy was simple but brutal: refinance, cut expenses, and throw everything at the balance. She refinanced her loans to get a better rate and committed to paying them off as fast as possible. Four years after graduation, she was debt free.
"I sat on the bench facing the Boston Tea Party and cried during lunch. I was like, I don't know how I'm gonna get outta debt. And I did it a few years after that."
The mindset that made it possible was refusing to accept limitations. She did not wait for someone to tell her how to manage money. She taught herself. When she wanted to buy a house, she picked up a first time homeowner guide and figured out mortgages on her own. She locked in a 3% rate before rates climbed.
Emily's message to students buried in debt: yes, you can. The moment feels impossible, but the math works if you commit. If you want to learn more about our mission to give students control over their futures, start here.
Why She Left a Comfortable Remote Job for Growth
Emily had a good job at Liberty Mutual Investments doing credit research from home. She was building LBO and DCF models in Excel. The team was great. The pay was solid. And she was bored out of her mind.
"I said, this is it? I'm not talking to people. My client is an insurance company. I learned a lot and I'm so grateful for the team. But I said I need to learn more. I've always put myself in uncomfortable positions. I want challenges."
She wanted to be in the office five days a week. She wanted face to face interaction. She wanted to learn asset classes beyond fixed income. So when a LinkedIn message came from a manager at JP Morgan Private Bank, she took the meeting.
The transition was not easy. She had to get licensed while learning an entirely new business. She passed the SIE, Series 7, Series 66, health insurance, and life insurance exams in under three months while simultaneously studying for CFA Level 3. She failed the CFA by one point. Her eye was twitching every day from exhaustion. She passed it the next time.
The lesson: comfort is not the same as growth. A good situation can still be the wrong situation if it is not pushing you forward. If you are ready to find opportunities that challenge you, browse jobs from employers who value ambition.
The Imposter Syndrome Fix That Actually Works
Emily went into every year end review convinced she was getting fired. Her numbers exceeded expectations. She still thought she was not enough.
"There's always that voice in my head that's saying not enough. Not enough. What can I be doing to be a better friend, family member, coworker? I always go into my year end reviews and I'm like, am I getting fired?"
She went to her mentor Sally Vale at UBS looking for ways to improve. More skills. More polish. Maybe stand up comedy to work on her speaking. Sally stopped her.
"She goes, it's not about fine tuning anymore skills. You're done Emily. It's self love. You have to love yourself more."
That advice changed everything. The fix for imposter syndrome is not more credentials. It is accepting that you are already enough while still working to improve. When the self doubt creeps in, Emily comes back to that foundation: I am enough. That is good enough. And I am working toward the next thing.
Want to hear from more professionals who have navigated these challenges? Book a speaker for your organization or connect with the Incubator Hub to start building your path.
Why She Deleted Social Media for Two Years
When Emily started at JP Morgan, she deleted all her social media. Not a break. Complete deletion. She stayed off for two years.
"I wanted to quiet society and programming. I wanted to get rid of the ego. You have to step aside from the ego and listen to yourself truly. That's how you start believing what your soul calling and your purpose is. Because you're not listening to anyone else."
The comparison trap was killing her clarity. Everyone on social media seemed to have a timeline: buy a house by this age, married by that age, certain milestones by certain dates. She threw all of it out.
By removing the noise, she could finally hear herself. What did she actually want? Not what her feed told her she should want. Not what society programmed her to chase. Her actual goals. She wrote them on the back of receipts at the Black Rose in Boston after her CFA exams. She hit every single one.
The principle applies beyond social media. Any voice telling you what you cannot do, what is too risky, what timeline you should follow is a voice you can choose to ignore. Delete the limiting beliefs and define success for yourself.
Your Questions About Paying Off Debt and Building Wealth in Your Twenties
How can I pay off student loans fast?
Refinance to a lower interest rate, cut expenses aggressively, and put every extra dollar toward the principal. Emily Richard paid off nearly $100,000 in student loans within four years of graduating from Bentley by treating debt payoff as her top financial priority. She did not wait for a raise or windfall. She committed to living below her means while working in credit research and threw everything extra at her balance. The key is treating debt elimination as non-negotiable rather than something you will get to eventually.
How do I buy a house in my twenties?
Teach yourself the process and start before you feel ready. Emily Richard picked up a first time homeowner guide and learned mortgages on her own. No one handed her the playbook. She researched loan options, understood what she qualified for, and locked in a 3% mortgage rate before rates increased. Most young people assume homeownership requires someone to show them the way. The resources exist. You can learn underwriting requirements, down payment assistance programs, and closing costs the same way you learn anything else: by reading and asking questions.
How do I deal with imposter syndrome at work?
Recognize that more credentials will not fix it. Emily Richard, now an Investment Specialist at JP Morgan Private Bank, went into every performance review convinced she was getting fired despite exceeding her numbers. Her mentor told her the problem was not skills but self love. The fix is accepting you are enough while continuing to grow. When doubt creeps in, return to that foundation: I am qualified, I am here for a reason, and I am working to get better. Imposter syndrome often hits highest performers hardest because they hold themselves to impossible standards.
Should I leave a comfortable job for a harder opportunity?
Yes, if comfort has become a ceiling. Emily Richard left a stable work from home role at Liberty Mutual to take a client facing position at JP Morgan that required passing five licensing exams in three months while studying for the CFA. The transition was brutal. Her eye twitched from exhaustion. But staying comfortable would have meant staying stagnant. The question to ask: is this job developing me or just paying me? If growth has stopped, comfort is costing you more than you realize.
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