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Besides MD's that have separate loan programs and a whole stack of post-grad financing options, the others are poor choices. One of my kids newly minted 7th gr

Besides MD's that have separate loan programs and a whole stack of post-grad financing options, the others are poor choices. One of my kids newly minted 7th grade English teachers was salty because before going into teaching she had just earned her PhD in a social science and had significant student loan debt. ($200K+ I can't remember how much exactly but it was breathtaking). She made a poor choice. Her colleague, a math teacher, went to college at the US Military Academy and served time in the Army before following her dream of teaching. She made a better choice. edit: typos

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
I don't understand the army argument - is that assumption that the entire college going class needs to be enlisted in order to have success? To have an education you need to gamble with your life? That's ridiculous and barbaric. I'd argue that we need psychologists, counselors, and MBA's. If everyone was as painfully pragmatic as a lot of these comments suggest there'd be no art in this world, no one taking care of our sick or our poor, and no one remembering our past.
- freeopinion 8y ago
  After two years of undergrad, my child has been accepted into the professional program for graphic design. At a state university. With no debt. My child worked part time for a couple of years in high school. My child worked hard to get good grades. My child worked hard to get accepted into the program, while holding down a part-time job. My child is pretty pragmatic. Being free of debt will allow them to be a poor starving artist. You can be pragmatic, debt-averse, and an artist, historian, counselor, or anything else.
  - SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
    Did your child have your help?
    - freeopinion 8y ago
      All my love. edit: Ok. I fed, clothed, transported, and housed them through the end of high school.
      - SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
        To be able to put yourself entirely through school while working part time is impressive. They must have been incredibly frugal and had a decent job to pay for all their needs and school. Were they able to take advantage of scholarships? Is the program they've been accepted to the same cost, or more?
        freeopinion 8y ago
        See reply above. Now that I can reply directly, I will be more direct. On campus housing + tuition = ~$10000/year $12000/$8/hr = 1500 hours = 30 hours/week for 50 weeks That's frugal, but I wouldn't say incredibly frugal. It's very doable. If the alternative is to live it up and rack $10K debt each year, then complain because you have to pay it back and they won't let you bankruptcy out of it... Maybe you can talk your boss into a $1000 scholarship. Maybe you get some help from Rotary Club. Maybe you can pick up $500 from you department to help pay for textbooks. Every little bit helps. But even without the help, you can pay for college as you go. Or you can sink $50K+/year at an ivy league and think the world owes you when you're done.
        SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
        I replied to you in the other thread you started - according to one university website I read, you're not estimating the cost by half in that. Even here you're not counting food in your calculation, nor any other money for books or supplies, or any spending money. Also, you're working 30 hours a week basically all year long, that's a lot of work come exam time.
        freeopinion 8y ago

SketchySeaBeast 8y ago

I don't understand the army argument - is that assumption that the entire college going class needs to be enlisted in order to have success? To have an education you need to gamble with your life? That's ridiculous and barbaric. I'd argue that we need psychologists, counselors, and MBA's. If everyone was as painfully pragmatic as a lot of these comments suggest there'd be no art in this world, no one taking care of our sick or our poor, and no one remembering our past.

freeopinion 8y ago
After two years of undergrad, my child has been accepted into the professional program for graphic design. At a state university. With no debt. My child worked part time for a couple of years in high school. My child worked hard to get good grades. My child worked hard to get accepted into the program, while holding down a part-time job. My child is pretty pragmatic. Being free of debt will allow them to be a poor starving artist. You can be pragmatic, debt-averse, and an artist, historian, counselor, or anything else.
- SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
  Did your child have your help?
  - freeopinion 8y ago
    All my love. edit: Ok. I fed, clothed, transported, and housed them through the end of high school.
    - SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
      To be able to put yourself entirely through school while working part time is impressive. They must have been incredibly frugal and had a decent job to pay for all their needs and school. Were they able to take advantage of scholarships? Is the program they've been accepted to the same cost, or more?
      - freeopinion 8y ago
        See reply above. Now that I can reply directly, I will be more direct. On campus housing + tuition = ~$10000/year $12000/$8/hr = 1500 hours = 30 hours/week for 50 weeks That's frugal, but I wouldn't say incredibly frugal. It's very doable. If the alternative is to live it up and rack $10K debt each year, then complain because you have to pay it back and they won't let you bankruptcy out of it... Maybe you can talk your boss into a $1000 scholarship. Maybe you get some help from Rotary Club. Maybe you can pick up $500 from you department to help pay for textbooks. Every little bit helps. But even without the help, you can pay for college as you go. Or you can sink $50K+/year at an ivy league and think the world owes you when you're done.
        SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
        I replied to you in the other thread you started - according to one university website I read, you're not estimating the cost by half in that. Even here you're not counting food in your calculation, nor any other money for books or supplies, or any spending money. Also, you're working 30 hours a week basically all year long, that's a lot of work come exam time.
        freeopinion 8y ago