Same as Rockfairy, mine are A lot more than 30k. My mom couldn't help pay for school so I went the loan route. It does lower your credit score but... a mortgage company and other companies will look and see what's on your record for that score and see that it is for student loans which is considered "good debt." You'll be fine. I have plenty of friends with student loans who bought houses shortly after graduation without co-signers, etc. It'll be okay.