<p>With the price of a college education (especially at a top college) what it is, many of us will probably have to end up taking out student loans. Do you think going into debt to finance a great education is worth it? Do you think it'll "pay for itself" with any advantages going to a good college will give you in the working world?
And how much debt would you be willing to take on to pay for a top-college education?</p>
<p>I am definitely not going to take on a lot of debt for undergrad education. Either very little or none, and should be able to be paid off with a part time job.</p>
<p>30,000 with a part time job? ha...ha.</p>
<p>I thought it was quite obvious that when I said I'd take on very little to no debt for an undergrad education that one could infer I'd be getting scholarships, especially since I live in Fl with Bright Futures and am low income. </p>
<p>So it's more like ha ha to the idiots that pay that much for an undergrad education and can't afford it.</p>
<p>Schools like Penn and Harvard have new programs in place for all incoming freshmen that pretty much eliminate loans from all financial aid packages for families under a certain income level. In the future I foresee more big schools switching to this system.</p>
<p>Debt for a top school is a really bad idea. Leave the top schools for the pretty rich kids unless you get good financial aid or scholarships. It's perfectly fine if you have $5,000 per year that isn't covered in your finaid package, but any amount of money beyond that is really not ideal. When you go into debt, you are banking on the idea that you will get a good job and you'll be able to pay it off really quickly. I think it's safe to say that that hardly ever happens. Paying for college requires common sense, just like any other big decision in the real world.</p>
<p>"So it's more like ha ha to the idiots that pay that much for an undergrad education and can't afford it."</p>
<p>I wouldn't really say that :( You're just LUCKY because you're getting scholarships and stuff. Otherwise....</p>
<p>People think that I'm stupid for giving up a completely free ride on Bright Futures to go out of state. Though if I get into my dream school, I'll take out any sum to get in. (That sum probably won't be that much since we're not anywhere close to rich; I'm sure I'll get some nice need-based fin-aid packages.) I'm only a junior now, but perhaps my views will change, though I highly doubt it.</p>
<p>I think it is pretty customary for students from middle-class families going to top schools to take on some form of debt, unless their parents pay the way.</p>