You mentioned "However, I might want to eventually go to grad school." They will require a transcript from college, and college won't release it unless you set

You mentioned "However, I might want to eventually go to grad school." They will require a transcript from college, and college won't release it unless you settle the debt. It happened to me - I was 100% covered by financial aid in college all 4 years (well I finished in 3.5 - so 3.5 years). After about 5 years working, I applied to masters, they asked for transcript, and bachelors college refused, they said I didn't pay 2k. I didn't have any documents about financial aid anymore, and didn't feel like fighting, so just paid it. Funny thing is they never even bother to tell me that they thought I owned them money, if they said it right after I finished college, I would have had all my financial aid papers, and would have settled it differently.