A personal assistant at a hospital says she has been denied Public Service Loan Forgiveness eight times, each rejection citing a different glitch, leaving her owing nearly three times what she borrowed. The woman, who posts as @leila.the.pa on TikTok, says the Department of Education mistakenly classified her employer as a for-profit institution, even though she works alongside colleagues who qualified for forgiveness at the same non-profit facility.
She told viewers that she started with a $96,000 loan balance, has paid $165,356.43 toward it so far, and still owes $220,810.73 due to accumulated interest. Her account went into forbearance right after graduating, which she says prevented her from meeting the forgiveness requirements. She blamed her loan servicer, Mohela, for putting her and many other customers in this position.
The Eight Denials
Leila applied to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program while working at the non-profit hospital, fulfilling all the eligibility criteria her colleagues met. She applied eight times and was denied each time. She said the Department of Education repeatedly told her that the problem was a glitch in the system.
She said she was put on hold for eight hours on one call before being told it was a glitch. After that, she was informed that her forbearance period was another glitch. She described the experience as strenuous, even with financial stability as a personal assistant at a hospital.
The Hospital’s Response
Leila reached out to colleagues who had qualified for forgiveness at the same facility. She said they worked alongside her at the same non-profit hospital, yet the Department of Education kept denying her application. She said she was unable to qualify for the forgiveness program because of the forbearance period, which is why she blamed her loan servicer.
The hospital employee compared the loan to a mortgage and labeled the Department of Education as the “biggest con artists.” She said the disparity between her original loan amount and what she now owes contributed to her fear of being in debt forever.
“I’m trying not to cry…I’m just going to be in debt forever…” she said.
What TikTokers Said
Her story drew 3.2 million views on TikTok as of publication. Many users empathized with her, calling the ordeal “insanity” and urging her to seek legal counsel at the earliest. Others claimed that perhaps student loans were “predatory” and advised students against opting for them.
One user commented that compound interest on student loans should be illegal.
Key Facts
- Original loan balance: $96,000
- Amount paid so far: $165,356.43
- Current balance owed: $220,810.73
- Number of forgiveness denials: 8
- Servicer: Mohela
Comparing the Numbers
| Metric | Original Amount | Current Balance Owed |
|---|---|---|
| Leila’s loan | $96,000 | $220,810.73 |
| Amount paid so far | $165,356.43 | Not stated |
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the details of the system glitch mentioned by the TikToker. That caveat matters because it means the story is Leila’s account of her experience, not an independent confirmation of it. It also means that the reasons she gives for each denial — the employer classification error, the forbearance issue, the eight-hour hold — come from her own description of the process, not from an external investigation.
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