Student Debt: Pay it down as quickly as possible

Justin Nygren is co-owner of The Grove, Dallas, a collaborative co-working community in downtown Dallas. He spends his days connecting people to the resources that they need to pursue their dreams in their businesses, non-profits and creative careers. His plans to regularly blog have been overtaken by his to-do list.

SF:What was your biggest challenge in college?
JN: My greatest challenge was knowing that I would be deeply in debt after graduation. This particular challenge actually led me to forgo college altogether. If I would have had access to other options, my collegiate career may have been much different.

SF: Were you impacted by student loans debt?
JN: Yes, I was. It took me 3 years to pay off 3 semesters worth of school debt.

SF: What would you do if you didn't have any student debt?
JN: I would have been much more open to pursuing my dreams.

SF: Who is your hero and why?
JN: I currently have many, but among them are the founders of "The B Team"-Arianna Huffington, Richard Branson, and Muhammad Yunus. They are a group of global leaders who are helping push the Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet and Profit.

SF: If you could change one thing about our education system, what would it be and how would you go about it?
JN: I would create learning that is self-paced. Sal Khan of Khan Academy would be in charge of implementation.

SF: What would you suggest to students who are facing student debt?
JN: Do what you can to pay it down as quickly as possible. If you have a loan that will penalize you for early payoff, weigh that option against moving it to a loan that will allow you to pay down faster. The less time you spend burdened by your debt, the more time you have to focus on your dream.