Trout;

I never have had a student loan. I can't remember there being such a thing back when I was trying to get educated.
Maybe it's because I was so poor I didn't think about finances.My mode of transportation was walk, hitch hike or ride freight trains.

In those days some of the professors would let you set in on a lecture at no cost.
You didn't get credits or handouts but you learned for free.
Then you could go to some other college, pass their entrance exam and get credit for what you already knew.
In this day and age of high security (and greed) you can't get on a campus let alone get in a lecture hall.