Media coverage this past year has highlighted the often-ignored reality of burgeoning student debt. But one aspect that is generally ignored by policymakers and the media alike is the connection between student debt loads and career choices. The results are predictable: burdened with crushing debt loads, graduates seek higher-paying professions, often in the private sector. Put simply: if you are saddled with debt, you will shy away from lower-paying, entry-level public service positions.