On the other hand, my loan servicer was changed to some unbelievably poorly managed servicing company years after I had graduated (not one of the big 3-4 compan

On the other hand, my loan servicer was changed to some unbelievably poorly managed servicing company years after I had graduated (not one of the big 3-4 companies): think login without ssl, mailing me paper with my SSN printed on it, couldn't get a person on the phone after waiting on hold for hours. I never choose to make any financial deal with that company and I never would have given any choice. The net result was just that I made it my absolute top priority to pay off the rest of my loans held by them (which was also a very frustrating process, with several rounds of extra interest and surprise tiny fees and more inability to get someone on the phone) but other people wouldn't have that luxury.