[ytinas]

I don't know how much you owed, but was it worth it to pay the loans off so fast? It seems there must have been something more valuable a large sum of money could have done for you.

EDIT: I mean this as an honest question, not proving a point or something. I was under the impression that these loans have pretty low interest. If the interest is low I would pay as little at a time as I possibly could.

[DougWebb]

Yes, it was worth it. Being a debtor puts a drag on you, even when you've got a positive net worth. Owing debt reduces your freedom and flexibility, because you need to have enough cash flow to make your debt payments. That restricts your choices. Paying your debts off also improves your credit rating quickly, which is important after graduating college because sooner or later you're probably going to want a home, and mortgage you need for that will most likely be more than your school loans were. Paying your loans off first proves you can handle the mortgage debt.