I graduated about two weeks ago, and I currently have 5k left in loans. I should be able to get that paid off before the end of the year. Total tuition costs ov

I graduated about two weeks ago, and I currently have 5k left in loans. I should be able to get that paid off before the end of the year. Total tuition costs over the 5 years I attended college were ~$133,000 USD (including housing while I was living in the dorms my first two years). It is possible to pay for most of your school as you go along. I was fortunate enough to have my parents pledge $40,000 ahead of time. The rest was mostly paid for by either myself or by scholarships. I started working full time after my sophomore year at a job that a "tuition assistance" program that paid you more if you were going to school. A lot of large companies have these (although sometimes there are strings attached, such as requiring you to work for x amount of time after you graduate) and I'd highly suggest looking for them. Also, I hunted down scholarships in my free time. I got about $52k in scholarships - many of which I won because I was the only person who applied for them (although the largest was an academic one for good marks in high school). Sure you'll be required to write an essay, but think of it as an essay that's making you $500. $250 an hour is well paid work. You'll be able to pay it off, just start now. That's my advice.