Is it worth it to take out student loans?
I’ve been constantly going back and forth between shooting for a big name school (and taking on the loans that go with it)and going where I know I can get an education for basically free. I feel like expert opinions could really help as, especially with undergrad, it seems like it isn’t worth the pressure and extra money. With a 1520 and a 5.2 I’m fairly confident I can get into a decent school, but I don’t know if I want to take on big loans and debt for my future self. Open to suggestions #student #college
2 answers
Scott’s Answer
Don't do it. Student loans are destroying peoples lives. Studentloanhero.com says the average student loan debt is $39,400 and will take at least 10 years to pay off. That means the money you borrowed when you are 18, you will start paying when you are 22 and will still be paying it when you are 32.... Not to mention all of the interest $ you are giving away to the banks. Oh and if for some reason you don't graduate, you still owe the money. My advice is first apply to as many scholarships as possible. 1000s of them. 10 to 20 applications a week. Second, choose a school you can afford to pay cash for , this includes the money from the scholarships. Also in Florida many of the community colleges have high school courses that double as college credits. Take as many of those as you can because they are free. Student loans are the payday lender of your generation. Trust me I had $21,000 worth of them myself and it took forever to pay them off. I wish I had the smarts to ask your question years ago. Good Luck.
Christina’s Answer
It depends on what your career outlook will look like after graduation. For me, taking on student loans was absolutely worth it, because it allowed me to pursue my dreams, law school, and a master's degree. I will be fully paid off with my student loans in 2020 (principal balance was almost $100,000), which is 5 years after I completed my schooling. That being said, I was fortunate to obtain a job that pays well and allows me to maintain my independence and standard of living. If my job prospects were less ideal, I would be burdened with student debt for much longer. So my advice is to think carefully about your future job prospects before taking on student loans. If you are unable to pay them off in a reasonable amount of time, the interest will accrue like crazy and ruin your life!