<p>I will be 8 classes short of graduating with a bachelors when my FA stops paying. </p>
<p>I will owe between $43,000 and 57,000. </p>
<p>My associates is in business administration. </p>
<p>My bachelors is in business administration but I'm going to have to take a break until I can afford to finish on my own. </p>
<p>Can anyone give me advice on paying off these loans? </p>
<p>Any advice appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>You need to pin down a good job, an economical place to live, and to pare your optional expenses to a minimum. Live as inexpensively as you can so that you can pay down your loans while also building up savings to cover any gaps in employment. Others will chip in with recommended books. My favorite author on this is Michelle Singletary who writes for the Washington Post. Don’t spend money on her books, check them out of the library for free. She would say that’s OK because you are too broke to be buying books.</p>
<p>I forgot to ask: Is it too late to avoid all of that debt? Would it make sense to get a job with your AA and work now while taking one or two classes at a time that you can pay for on your own, and then going back to finish your degree? The best thing for you would be to not accumulate all that debt in the first place.</p>
<p>Well, now is the time to put the content of those business courses to work for you. I suggest you find a job and see where the higher paying positions are and where you can best get a certificate to get some of those goodies, get on your feet and look for an inexpensive way to get that bachelor’s degree. A general business administration degree ain’t gonna do it, and whether it’s a 2 or 4 year degree doesn’t make much of a difference most of the time. The kids I see getting jobs, nice ones, have some specialty skill like medical transcription, certification in operating medical equipment, accounting courses, computer languages. So that is where you should focus. Then you can get your bachelors as cheaply and in anything you please. Otherwise you are going to owe all that money and still be making a low salary if you can even find a job, most likely. That is the reality of what has been happening in this economy.</p>
<p>So get that business acumen going and look at where the money is and focus there. Pick off the courses you need for a BA one or two at a time, but do get yourself in a solvent situation.</p>
<p>Happymomof1: What you said makes a lot of sense. Thank you. I will check into those books that you are talking about. It’s too late to avoid the debt I already owe it. </p>
<p>cptofthehouse: My biggest fear is struggling with unemployment. I tried computer programming and didn’t comprehend it. I tried for an accounting minor and didn’t comprehend that. With my bachelors my major is management and my minor is human resources. I’ve been looking at any administrative jobs, HR specialists, or any other HR jobs and I meet the minimum qualifications on most of the jobs but not all. Your right, it is time to put the courses and degree to work! Thanks. </p>
<p>Oh and I have no interest in working in the medical field. I wouldn’t be able to handle the emotional stress and trauma of seeing people suffering.</p>
<p>Contact temporary staffing companies to help get you some income and on the job experience and potentially ultimately a real job. You may be able to find an employer that will pay for you to finish your degree.</p>
<p>I think what cptofthehouse was saying was to do your best to remain a student, so that loan repayment does not start… put off the debt that way. I don’t know what it takes to do that however. Others do. Can you pay for one/two classes on your own in order to avoid paying the debt? If it costs $2000 for a semester for example to take 2 classes and your debt payment would be $2000 for that semester (but could be avioded), then it definitely makes more sense to pay the $2000 for your education, as once you get a degree, it’ll make a difference in your job prospects.</p>
<p>Ok, thanks. Im going to have to look at all my financial info before I pay for the rest. I understand what your saying and that might help tremendously. Thanks again.</p>
<p>May want to look into something like this so as to get some idea about payments. The figures can be overwhelming, but plan, don’t panic. [FinAid</a> | Calculators | Loan Calculator](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Loan Payment Calculator - Finaid)</p>
<p>Could you work at the university full-time and get some tuition benefits-- plus some work experience to boot?</p>
<p>Thanks teeney, gwgrad I will look into that.</p>