American Education Services AES, PHEAA AES Cruel and Unreasonable HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania

Your comments are off base and you clearly did not read what I wrote. "It never ceases to amaze me how someone cannot take responsibility for their actions, or in this case, lack thereof. "  Did you not see the part where I said, "I readily admit my fault and responsibility" and where I set up payments for more than the minimum? My complaint is that I DID contact AES and told them as much but was "met by some very terse and cold-hearted staff." I was asking for some relief, not forgiveness from the loan. I am not an idiot who just rolled off the turnip truck. I have some mileage and know the ways of the world. But I also know that economic times are tough and, for what ever the reasons, sometimes things happen. And yes, I do not consider myself a deadbeat because I contacted them (albeit late) and made arrangements to correct MY error.
AES may claim to be "a private, non-profit organization", but they are not. They are a branch of PHEAA and share an address. As far as "don't write off an entire company because you dealt with the collection side of a business", when you ask for supervisors or other contact people and are basically told "no", what else am I supposed to do.
Responder, I can only assume that you either a.) work for PHEAA/AES, b.) have a loved-one who works for PHEAA/AES, or c.) have never had a financial crisis of your own doing, accidental or otherwise that you have tried to fix. For items "a" and "b", my complaint was not directed toward you or your loved-one, but toward a government-sponsored (despite your insistence to the contrary), Mafioso business practice. As far as item "c", may God continue to bless your good fortune.
Please understand: I will pay my debt. All I asked for was a lower payment as the required minimum is crippling and was told "no". I was lectured and felt judged.

It amazes me that college educated, or those who at least attempt a college education, can be so uneducated with the student loan process.  AES is a student loan servicer.  They service student loans.  AES did not set the terms and conditions of your loan.  They are abiding by what the lender set forth. 

It never ceases to amaze me how someone cannot take responsibility for their actions, or in this case, lack thereof.  AES was contacting you, more than likely on a semi-daily basis.  You mean to tell me that the only correspondence that you received was a letter?  They would have been calling you, your co-signer, any references on the account when the loan was originated, as well as emailing you.  Depending on your loan type and owner, however, the collection process could have been outsourced to the lenders own collection agency.

Also, you guaranteed that no private company would be permitted to operate in such a predatory fashion.  Guess what?  AES is a private, non-profit organization.  You do not consider yourself a deadbeat and are assuming that AES is treating you as such.  Well, you didn't pay your bill, so therefore you were a deadbeat, whether you want to accept the harsh reality or not.  Granted, it may have been by mistake and not choice, but how is AES supposed to know which is one and which is the other?

More than likely, the large majority of the people who work at AES are good people.  They come to work, they perform their jobs, and they attempt to assist those in need.  Don't write off an entire company because you dealt with the collection side of a business, whose employees' bonuses are based upon results in collection attempts.

Ignorance is bliss.