How did you pay for your college?

[KSpan]

First and foremost, I 100% agree with the 'don't go out of state' sentiments - loans are an albatross and shoudl be avoided to the greatest degree possible.  No one will care where your nursing degree came from - they will care that you got your CNA and maybe LPN and worked in the nursing field during your entire college career on top of earning your BSN. Source: my wife has her BSN and is now a director of a private clinic.

 

Re: paying for college, I shook the scholarship tree to death and ended up having enough scholarships to pay my entire 5 years of both tuition and rent.  That said, I also chose an inexpensive in-state school with a very strong biology program and made it my mission to get into every organization I could to make connections.

 

My wife, on the other hand, had $35,000 in debt. Once I graduated, we buckled down and worked a TON, 7 days a week much of the time, kept living like broke college kids and paid that poo off as quickly as possible.  We are now 31 and 33 and have been debt-free since 2008. I can not overstate the importance of minimizing debt and how great it feels to not owe anyone (other than Wells Fargo for our mortgage) a damn penny.

[Davidson Deac II]

Okay, I'm a senior in high school and I have been accepted to my #1 school of choice, Arizona State University to major in nursing, and I would be an out of state student. The average cost for out of state tuition for undergrads this year are shown in the picture... and this scares me, I have no idea how I am going to get this type of money to pay for my education, I will be submitting a FAFSA as soon as my mother receives her tax return so hopefully that will help but it will not cover the full cost so I don't know what I'm going to do to pay the rest of my costs.. I had talked about joining the reserves with my moms friend who is retired army and currently a reserve, so the military can pay for my education but was told (not sure 100% if this is true) that if the reserves pay for your education they'd want a commitment of 4-6 years after, which I do not want to do, so I really have no idea what to do, do you guys have any suggestions on what I can do to get the money to pay for my education? I'm really stressing about it and my mom doesn't have the experience with this because she didn't attend college. Thanks for the help

 

 

I am not sure what state you are in, but I know that in North Carolina there are some four year degrees that can be obtained by spending your first two years in community college, then transferring to a regular college for the last two years or so.  One of our new employees got his degree in that manner. 

 

Regarding the reserve, I would check a recruiting site.  The service is not for everyone, but given the amount of money they would be spending on you, asking for a 4 year commitment which only involves one weekend a month and two weeks a year after the initial training is not unreasonable. 

 

[Arroz con Panther]

It sounds like you want to go to ASU for the party atmosphere, not the education. I don't blame you, but a lot can happen once you get to college. If you're going to throw that much money at it, make sure you balance it out. They still get your money if you drop out and you don't walk away with that diploma.

[davos]

If you don't have to pay and can go out of state, take full advantage of it.  It's what I did. 

 

If you're gonna be getting loans, like others have said stay in-state unless it's a can't miss opportunity or you're really going somewhere you feel compelled to go.  

 

A Sunday night in old town is like a Friday night at a normal state school so I guess there's that.  

[chknwing]

graduated in '98.  Still paying for it.

[Goondal]

I got a scholarship that paid 75% of my tuition as long as I stayed in state. I also had saved up money my last year in HS and worked 30+ hours a week once I got to college. After one year I rented a room from someone as opposed to paying for expensive student housing and about a year later the friends and I found a government subsidized apartment complex. Our incomes feel in the right spot which allowed us to have a four bedroom place for 777/month (still remember the price).

At one point freshman year I got below $500 but I was never in debt. I see other friends who took different rules and what they are dealing with and I am grateful that my father taught me growing up the importance of budgeting and the dangers of debt.

As others have said, I would strongly recommend that you go in state. Once you get into the "real world" the name of the University you went to will not matter, it will be your performance that determines things.

[t96]

Don't go to college...?

[Panthro]

Yeah go in state and then spend $2k to go party at ASU for a week or wherever they go on SP.

[MichaelNewtonII]

It sounds like you want to go to ASU for the party atmosphere, not the education. I don't blame you, but a lot can happen once you get to college. If you're going to throw that much money at it, make sure you balance it out. They still get your money if you drop out and you don't walk away with that diploma.

nah man my education comes first and foremost my gpa for high school is a 3.7

[bigjohn]

Lots of good advice in this thread.

 

I went in state, borrowed money for about half and worked part time jobs in college for the rest.  Still took me eight years to pay back the loans (teacher salary in NC).

 

The cost now is completely outrageous compared to what I paid. I never regretted it one bit, and would do it all over again because it was the right decision for me. 

[CarolinaNCSU]

I was lucky enough to have my parents pay for everything, no financial aid or student loans.

 

 

Just to echo what has been said though, all my friends with loans constantly talk about how much of a bitch they are, and they came out making damn good engineer money. Out of state? Yeesh...it's your life and you should obviously do what you want, but at least reconsider that poo. 

[TheRumGone]

For the love of god do not do it

And do not go to a private school to play sports unless you're a baller and can become a pro

[TheRumGone]

I'm paying off loans but I got lucky with an inheritance that took a major chunk out of it.

It's a scam

[PandaPancake]

I was lucky enough to have my parents pay for everything, no financial aid or student loans.

Just to echo what has been said though, all my friends with loans constantly talk about how much of a bitch they are, and they came out making damn good engineer money. Out of state? Yeesh...it's your life and you should obviously do what you want, but at least reconsider that poo.

Engineer money is about average. Unless you pick one that only 17 colleges in the country offer, and you only need a bachelors to do well. Otherwise you need a masters.

I know a mechanical engineer who moved for a job paying about $40a year