<p>If you have any subsidized federal loans, those loans do not accumulate interest while you are studying. Everything else accumulates interest beginning as soon as you take them out. The interest on both Parent Plus and unsubsidized federal loans can be paid while you are in school if you feel like it, or can be left unpaid, and thus increase the amount owed.</p>
<p>Your financial situation is, quite frankly, a very ugly one. Go have a meeting with the Financial Aid officer at your current college/university, and sort out what all of this means so that you do understand it. Then get your parents into a meeting with someone who can help them understand the ramifications. Right now it looks like some $90k is owed (parent loans + your student loans). The three of you need to develop a plan for paying that down.</p>