<p>I'm an incoming college freshman and the first person in my family to go to an American college, so I am not good with these financial situations...</p>
<p>The school I plan to attend offered me $5500 in Federal Direct Loans (3.5K is subsidized and 2K is unsubsidized). My goal is to pay off the loans while I'm still in college if I can, because I want to attend a graduate school after I graduate from college. </p>
<p>First of all, is that a reasonable amount of loans? And is it realistic for me to repay all of the loans and interests in 4 years if I get summer jobs, etc.? Or will I have to spend a year or two working to repay? </p>
<p>*By the way, I'm already planning on doing work-study on campus.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Subsidized loans - Federal government pays the interest while you’re in school. So there is no points to pay off these loans while you’re in school.</p>
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<p>Is that all you need to attend? How is the rest of the tuition/room/board/fees/books/etc being paid?</p>
<p>If you make the money, you can either deny the next year’s loan, or accept only part of it. So, say, if as a freshman you make $4000, you might want to put that towards your next year’s tuition rather than accept the full amount of the loan. However, each year as you fill out the FAFSA, you have to say how much you have in your checking and savings account. That might change your FA a little, not sure.</p>
<p>Thanks for the information and advice, everyone!
And OperaDad, I received federal, state, and institutional grants that total up to be around 55K, and the rest is covered by loans and Federal Work Study. My family’s contribution is around 1.5K.</p>