As I recall, before accepting a student loan you are required to do some sort of "loan education program" which is a pretty quick and painless online multiple-choice question thing. I think it would be a lot more helpful if they were to revamp that. Run some fairly realistic numbers, you're in a 4 year program taking out $X per semester, so come the end of your degree your repayment amount is going to look like this. Your planned degree is in this field, here are some average salaries for that job. How is your take home looking?
Most people these days that are heading off to college are having their first out-of-nest experience. Most of them haven't lived on their own before so have no idea of the costs to maintain a household. They don't know how much rent is, how much utilities are, how much groceries cost. They sign up for the max loan amount available each semester having absolutely no idea what it's going to do to them after they are done with school to pay that back.
Some practical education won't help everyone, but I'm betting there are enough people out there whose heads will spin when they see how much they're going to be expected to pay back each month. It might make them rethink that degree in underwater basket weaving.