Advice on the best ways to finance my MSF degree?

[ElCount]

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@mom2collegekids

Are you out of state for UIUC? If so, do you have more affordable options in your own state?

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<p>Yes I would be out of state (I live in NY). I also applied to Polytechnic University which is in NYC, tuition is about the same but I could live at home and save on room and board. </p>

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@sk8rmom

Do you have any debt leftover from undergrad? I know many people that worked for a few years to pay that down (they continued living like students) and save money for grad school. Also, some employers offer tuition reimbursement for grad studies, which is always a good thing

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<p>I won’t quote everything, but thank you very much for all the information you provided, I’ll look into it all and if I have questions I’ll direct them in this thread. I do have debt leftover from undergrad but I would rather take on the extra debt to get my Masters early, which I think will help with finding a good and better paying job. The job search to find something I really want may take more time than I’m willing to deal with, plus it may take me a one or two years to pay off my entire undergrad debt and I don’t know what I’ll have to show for it during that time if I can’t get a position in finance.</p>

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@sybbie719

Why are you getting this masters? It will not improve your lot in life as far as the job market is concerned, especially if you do not have work experience.</p>

<p>You would be better served working for a company that has a tuition aid program that will pay for your masters.

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@1moremom

Agree with Sybbie. Particularly if you already have some debt from undergrad I would first get a little work experience. After that, see if the MSF still makes sense.

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<p>I’m not convinced that the degree won’t improve my hunt on the job market. Believe me, I would have no problem with getting some work experience under my belt before going for my Master’s but it’s pretty close to impossible to land a analyst position, or internship, or entry level position in finance these days. I’ve applied so many places and when I am looking for positions, many of them I can’t touch just because they require Masters degrees in finance, or something math/engineering related.</p>

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@kbiresearch

To the contrary this masters degree may indeed very well improve the O.P.'s “lot in life” out in the job market. They seem as if some thought has already gone into the process of choosing educational path, and for all we know a future employer or trusted colleague has already advised the OP of a great job offer down the road. But that’s it, we just Don’T Know!

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<p>Thanks for the understanding, and when I say this, I’m not proclaiming that I’m very enthusiastic about adding to my debt load. But my own assessment of my situation tells me this is probably the better path. If I can get a good internship/position for the summer then I’ll most likely defer my enrollment for a year. I’m working for a furniture distribution company right now but the work I do doesn’t interest me and there’s nowhere for me to move here.</p>

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<p>And yes it’s true that it’s favorable to have several years of experience before going for an MBA but with an MSF degree the work experience is not as big of an issue. Many people go into MSF straight from undergrad whereas with an MBA this is rarely the case.</p>