<p>So I am trying to decide between going to Cal Poly Pomona in which I dont have to be anything myself(cal grant and parents paying for all) or UC Irvine(will have to pay about 8000 out of my own pocket). If I go to UCI, I will have a job so money from that will go towards paying for college(roughly 3500k). So lets say I dont get any of the scholarships I applied for and I have to take out loans. So thats 4500k of loans right after freshman year. However after 1st year I am planning on rooming with 3-4 people in an apartment so not dorming should bring down what I have to pay for school/apartment to 1703.. Then money i make from my job should allow me to not have any loans. So when I graduate I should have about 4500 taken out in loans.</p>
<p>CPP is a great deal. I know kids who would be ever so happy to have gotten your deal including one whose parent has been posting here. With no loans, you will be free to do so much more when college is done. Old loans stink worst than old sushi and are harder to swallow.</p>
<p>Your UCI plan isn’t a bad one, and in a perfect universe, it might work . . . but we don’t live in a perfect universe. College costs increase every year - that’s guaranteed. That apartment cost you’re looking at sounds great . . . until one of your roommates drops out of school and the rest of you are left holding the bag for his (or her) share of the rent. And that job you’re counting on . . . if you’re grades start to slip, you may have to cut back on your hours. And . . . well, the list goes on and on!</p>
<p>It’s a great plan, but, in all likelihood, it won’t work out exactly as you expect. A much safer option would be to start at CPP and transfer to UC Irvine after two years. If you work and save money while you’re at CPP, you may be able to pay your costs at Irvine without having to borrow at all. Or you may decide you’re perfectly happy at CPP and not transfer at all!</p>
<p>Agree. CPP is really a very good school. Perhaps in CA, the nuances are there with the UCs, but for most people it’s a non issue.</p>
<p>Dodgersmom is absolutely right about your plan. My sons have all experienced the exact issues she has mentioned. My son had to quit a great job which not only pained him but cost him dearly and that he could not make the decision quickly and tried to hold on to it cost him on his gpa too. He came up $3K short that year, but he did have leeway, could borrow and was able to slowly make it up, but,yes these things happen. You get a tooth abcess, you need new glasses, you need medical care and deductibles are involved, you need to replace a high cost item. My son just got his rent jacked up ridiculously for his apartment AFTER most of the apartments in the area were taken and he’s heading into finals–it’s his last year, they are esconsed comfortably there , planning to spend the summer there, and his roommate is adamant he is NOT moving–so what the heck, but it’s going to a huge chunk over his very meticulously planned budget. </p>