BenKatz
New member
Didn't see a forum for this, so I'm putting it here. Anyone have issues with college? In terms of it being so hard to go and get things going?
Here's my story.
I graduated hs in 1997, lived at home until my mom died when I was, I guess 27...I started community college in the fall of 2008, had no savings, have a full time job, but it doesn't pay well enough to even live on- especially when I had to buy a car to get back and forth from work...I have no parents now, no close family really, so I had to take stafford loans out. It took me 3 yrs- I'll finish this May 2011, mainly due to the school dropping some of the classes I needed to graduate (visual communications- film and video degree) because so few people signed up...anyway- had to take out the max stafford of $10 per year for tuition, books, fees, and to help pay half of the rent, as I found a roommate I'm living with.
So, when I finish, I'll be $31k in debt (ugh)...and I have to continue to get a bachelors, but no in-state schools offer film really, so I've chosen arizona state university...except for tuition fees, books, and dorm and food, it's $34, 000 per yr (omg!)
I can't just stop with an associates degree, as it won't get me a job, esp. not one paying dbl what I make now, which is what I'd need to meet my obligations AND start paying off the $31k in debt.
BUT- if I go to ASU, I will hit my stafford max at $57k the first yr alone...which means I'll need private loans, but all said in done- say it takes me 3 yrs at ASU (hoping SOME of my credits will transfer, but what if NONE of them do?)- I'll be in debt at least $120k to ASU loans alone, plus the $31k now to community college. I feel so bad for having $31k in debt for CC with little to show for it...I work full time as mentioned, and I'm not lazy, it's just hard for me to go out there into the world and get it going. I wanted to get a part time job to offset some of the costs, but since I work 7am-5pm, my classes all had to be at night, so there's just no time for full time work, full time school and part time work, with study time and homework and working on projects (videos, graphic design posters, editing projects, etc)...
So, though I feel really guilty for the $31k already, what else could I do? I had to pay my half of the rent...I don't live a luxurious lifestyle at all- I have cable tv, but that's about all I do, stay at home and watch TV or read or do things online. I don't drink, I don't date, I don't go on vacations, I haven't left the city in years, I go to the movies every now and then, but I try to do so before 6PM so it's cheaper on weekends. Point is- I don't live lavishly, but I still feel terribly guilty for being so behind everyone else- finishing cc at 32 and being way too far in debt already.
My therapist saiid I should go to arizona- it might be a lot of debt, but education is the best investment. BUT, if I end up with nearly $160k in debt, plus interest, oh my god, I'll never be able to buy a house or live comfortably. I just have no idea what to do. The only housing available for transfer students are these apts that you can't use financial aid for directly- it has to paid monhtly on a lease with funds that come as a refund from any leftover financial aid...and on top of that I MUST have a guarantor to the lease. I could ask my older brother, and he might, but I'm not even 100% sure baout that. My roommate and I signed a 6 month lease since I'm moving, so that ends in August of this year. At the time, if I don't go to ASU, I'm screwed.
I should note- the degree I want to pursue is film production...but what I really want to do is double major in that and something that would be more lucrative (business?) - something I could fall back on or add as a dimension of that film degree.
Just so much stress, no idea what to do, no clue how I can make this all work, and no options besides to keep going praying that I land an awesome job when said and done. They say avg student debt for bachelors is $24, 000...too bad I'm 6 grand over that now with a measly assoc degree. I'm not sure what to do. Anyone run into issues similar?
Here's my story.
I graduated hs in 1997, lived at home until my mom died when I was, I guess 27...I started community college in the fall of 2008, had no savings, have a full time job, but it doesn't pay well enough to even live on- especially when I had to buy a car to get back and forth from work...I have no parents now, no close family really, so I had to take stafford loans out. It took me 3 yrs- I'll finish this May 2011, mainly due to the school dropping some of the classes I needed to graduate (visual communications- film and video degree) because so few people signed up...anyway- had to take out the max stafford of $10 per year for tuition, books, fees, and to help pay half of the rent, as I found a roommate I'm living with.
So, when I finish, I'll be $31k in debt (ugh)...and I have to continue to get a bachelors, but no in-state schools offer film really, so I've chosen arizona state university...except for tuition fees, books, and dorm and food, it's $34, 000 per yr (omg!)
I can't just stop with an associates degree, as it won't get me a job, esp. not one paying dbl what I make now, which is what I'd need to meet my obligations AND start paying off the $31k in debt.
BUT- if I go to ASU, I will hit my stafford max at $57k the first yr alone...which means I'll need private loans, but all said in done- say it takes me 3 yrs at ASU (hoping SOME of my credits will transfer, but what if NONE of them do?)- I'll be in debt at least $120k to ASU loans alone, plus the $31k now to community college. I feel so bad for having $31k in debt for CC with little to show for it...I work full time as mentioned, and I'm not lazy, it's just hard for me to go out there into the world and get it going. I wanted to get a part time job to offset some of the costs, but since I work 7am-5pm, my classes all had to be at night, so there's just no time for full time work, full time school and part time work, with study time and homework and working on projects (videos, graphic design posters, editing projects, etc)...
So, though I feel really guilty for the $31k already, what else could I do? I had to pay my half of the rent...I don't live a luxurious lifestyle at all- I have cable tv, but that's about all I do, stay at home and watch TV or read or do things online. I don't drink, I don't date, I don't go on vacations, I haven't left the city in years, I go to the movies every now and then, but I try to do so before 6PM so it's cheaper on weekends. Point is- I don't live lavishly, but I still feel terribly guilty for being so behind everyone else- finishing cc at 32 and being way too far in debt already.
My therapist saiid I should go to arizona- it might be a lot of debt, but education is the best investment. BUT, if I end up with nearly $160k in debt, plus interest, oh my god, I'll never be able to buy a house or live comfortably. I just have no idea what to do. The only housing available for transfer students are these apts that you can't use financial aid for directly- it has to paid monhtly on a lease with funds that come as a refund from any leftover financial aid...and on top of that I MUST have a guarantor to the lease. I could ask my older brother, and he might, but I'm not even 100% sure baout that. My roommate and I signed a 6 month lease since I'm moving, so that ends in August of this year. At the time, if I don't go to ASU, I'm screwed.
I should note- the degree I want to pursue is film production...but what I really want to do is double major in that and something that would be more lucrative (business?) - something I could fall back on or add as a dimension of that film degree.
Just so much stress, no idea what to do, no clue how I can make this all work, and no options besides to keep going praying that I land an awesome job when said and done. They say avg student debt for bachelors is $24, 000...too bad I'm 6 grand over that now with a measly assoc degree. I'm not sure what to do. Anyone run into issues similar?