6 ms·

Many people manage quite handily to work their way through college. Don't want debt? Be frugal and choose a different school.

zer00eyz 11y ago
In another time maybe, but not so much today. http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/working-your-way-through-college-doesnt-add-up-for-todays-students-b9922857z1-209807931.html http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/working-your-way-thro... http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/Study-shows-college-textbook-prices-up-an-insane-6421762.php http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/Study-shows-college-... http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2015/02/10/millennials_living_with_parents_it_s_harder_to_explain_why_young_adults.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2015/02/10/millennials_l...
- tired_man 11y ago
  (Citing articles about rising costs isn't helpful.) You can have many things in life, but sometimes you have to choose which are most important to you. So, here are the choices: 1. Get your four-year degree in four years: Acquire a massive student loan debt. 2. Get your four-year degree in four years, CC and a 4-year: Acquire a less massive student loan debt. 3. Get a job, work your ass off, go to school a class or two at a time (year-round - no breaks), starting with cheap community college courses: Acquire a degree more slowly. Start a new career with much less debt and a wider range of possibilities, employment-wise. With lower fixed expenses, you gain the freedom to take chances on lower paying jobs that might be more rewarding personally, professionally, or which may have a low starting salary but huge potential for increases. If you're loaded with debt, those opportunities aren't possible because you've already priced yourself out of the market. The route you choose is your decision.
  - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
    The massive debt thing is over-hyped. Possible to do community college for no debt. Possible to get scholarships and work through school. I'm raising 3 boys, who will pay off what little debt they accrued in a couple of years after graduation. So, choice three is good, but there are more choices that that.
zaccus 11y ago
Work their way through college, as in paying all their books and tuition without assistance? No they don't.
- Miner49er 11y ago
  Tuition and books? Definitely can be done, but if you have to pay for room and board, and other things, then that's where it gets difficult. In some cases it can still be done though. Edit: Especially with community college.
  - tired_man 11y ago
    It isn't easy and it isn't fast. If your job supports you living on your own and you can start taking a class or two, that's how you start doing it.
  - zaccus 11y ago
    >if you have to pay for room and board As opposed to what, living on the street and eating rats? Room and board is a sunk cost regardless of whether you're going to school.
    - Nadya 11y ago
      Some people live with their parents...who waive paying rent while their child is in college.
traverseda 11y ago
I think the chart in this one really explains the situation in a way no article could. http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/04/the-myth-of-working-your-way-through-college/359735/ http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/04/the-myt...

zer00eyz 11y ago

In another time maybe, but not so much today. http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/working-your-way-through-college-doesnt-add-up-for-todays-students-b9922857z1-209807931.html http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/working-your-way-thro... http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/Study-shows-college-textbook-prices-up-an-insane-6421762.php http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/Study-shows-college-... http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2015/02/10/millennials_living_with_parents_it_s_harder_to_explain_why_young_adults.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2015/02/10/millennials_l...

tired_man 11y ago
(Citing articles about rising costs isn't helpful.) You can have many things in life, but sometimes you have to choose which are most important to you. So, here are the choices: 1. Get your four-year degree in four years: Acquire a massive student loan debt. 2. Get your four-year degree in four years, CC and a 4-year: Acquire a less massive student loan debt. 3. Get a job, work your ass off, go to school a class or two at a time (year-round - no breaks), starting with cheap community college courses: Acquire a degree more slowly. Start a new career with much less debt and a wider range of possibilities, employment-wise. With lower fixed expenses, you gain the freedom to take chances on lower paying jobs that might be more rewarding personally, professionally, or which may have a low starting salary but huge potential for increases. If you're loaded with debt, those opportunities aren't possible because you've already priced yourself out of the market. The route you choose is your decision.
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  The massive debt thing is over-hyped. Possible to do community college for no debt. Possible to get scholarships and work through school. I'm raising 3 boys, who will pay off what little debt they accrued in a couple of years after graduation. So, choice three is good, but there are more choices that that.

zaccus 11y ago

Work their way through college, as in paying all their books and tuition without assistance? No they don't.

Miner49er 11y ago
Tuition and books? Definitely can be done, but if you have to pay for room and board, and other things, then that's where it gets difficult. In some cases it can still be done though. Edit: Especially with community college.
- tired_man 11y ago
  It isn't easy and it isn't fast. If your job supports you living on your own and you can start taking a class or two, that's how you start doing it.
- zaccus 11y ago
  >if you have to pay for room and board As opposed to what, living on the street and eating rats? Room and board is a sunk cost regardless of whether you're going to school.
  - Nadya 11y ago
    Some people live with their parents...who waive paying rent while their child is in college.

traverseda 11y ago

I think the chart in this one really explains the situation in a way no article could. http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/04/the-myth-of-working-your-way-through-college/359735/ http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/04/the-myt...