I'm likely more sympathetic than most on this topic but this one is throwing all different kinds of smoke to me.
I can believe the $90K balance but 17% interest rates... I'm just not seeing how that is possible for someone her age.
If I remember my loans right (and I'm sure I'm darn close if not) the subsidized loans were 4.5% and the unsubsidized loans were 6.5% for my undergraduate. Granted- the interest rates were (at that time) quite a bit above what private loans offered BUT there were certain options/contingencies available by keeping the student loans with Sallie Mae rather than consolidating them with a private bank/credit union like most of my "smarter" colleagues did.
How this woman was able to move that large of a balance to a loan rate of 17%... I'm just racking my brain on how that could happen. As far as I know they don't offer consolidation loans with adjustable rates and if that's accurate- then the closest thing I can think of is she rolled the debt onto an unsecured credit card (hence the interest rate) and was suckered in with either promises of a reduced/0% interest rate for the first year or two and/or she'd get "points" or "cash back" from the debt she rolled over to said company.
If there's any accuracy in my assumptions- then the discussion can no longer be about a dumb 18 year old signing a note without knowing anything and instead becomes a college 'educated' 20 something or another having all those extra years of school and not having learned anything of any intrinsic value (which I have a much harder time being empathetic for).