I honestly don’t think there’s a single CSU or UC that’s an easy admit that I’d like to go to. Technically because I live in Oakland, CA SFSU and CSU East bay area almost auto-admits but CSU east bay is an awful school, and SFSU rescinded me without warning back in 2011 because one of my HS teachers messed up my PE credits. I should only have a couple years of schooling to get my undergraduate degree anyways, and if times get that hard for me, I’m looking into working for the gov’t post-graduate as a form of loan-forgiveness. Also, finance majors are supposed to earn you a pretty decent amount of money, and I plan on being child-less and I’m used to living frugally, so paying back a loan is not a terrifying concept for me.
How much in loans are you thinking of takin? Like another user said, you can only take $15k over two year (unless you consign or get a private loan, neither of which would be recommended).
My parents would be willing to cosign with the understanding that if they cannot afford the whole cost I will be paying a lot of it back. So really, how much I am willing to take depends on how much the schools I get in offer me. If I get into one of my reach schools, I am more willing to pay for that because my salary will probably be commensurate with the amount I spend on my education. However if it’s a more expensive “eh” school like drexel then I’d probably eliminate it in favor of a similarly academically notable school that’s cheaper.
I think you’re underestimating the toll of commuting at various times of day, including through traffic jams. If she gets into RISD, her work will be intense and many kids work late into the night. Check your GPS at various times of day to see what back ups are like between Providence and Bryant, Clark or URI. And run the net price calculators to get an idea of what fin aid may be. (And with your parents income and assets, as you aren’t emancipated yet. It can be a lengthy process.) Then dig up tables that show what monthly payback amounts are, when they come due.
If your parents are willing to cosign, it doesn’t sound like a situation where emancipation is a slam dunk just because you file your own taxes.
I’m already a functioning adult, I commute monday through friday to and from work, and I commute to and from class several times a week which is in an opposite direction. I do this in a stickshift car, and I can also ride a bicycle quite fast and efficiently, and don’t mind taking public transit.
Also, as stated before, I understand now that I can’t emancipate because I’m over 18.
My girlfriend already graduated from UCBerkeley and I knew her the whole time she went there. She did not have very many problems with the workload there I have full confidence in her.