Paying for college, ugh.

Applying to College
1

<p>I especially want to go to my match school, which is UC Berkeley. Not only does it have a great EECS program, but the atmosphere seems wonderful, especially for a prospective CS student like I am - Berkeley has played a very significant role in the creation of today's technological society, and I feel that I could learn a lot, especially from several of the computer clubs.</p>

<p>At the same time, the $25,000/yr price tag is worrying me. My parents have a bit saved up, but nothing close to what it's going to cost to go for 4 years. Unless I get grants (I want that R-C scholarship!), I'm expecting to graduate with $70,000 in debt, and that's assuming I work part-time during the year. </p>

<p>In some ways I wish I had taken the full-ride offers that some colleges offered me (I was a NMSF), but I would really rather go to one of the schools to where I applied, especially Berkeley, Stanford, or Princeton (the latter are reaches, though).</p>

<p>Of course, I'm going to have to take out loans, but I keep wishing that somewhere with great aid like Princeton will take me, or I'll get a few scholarships to get me through Berkeley. All this advertising that colleges do to make themselves look affordable is just hot air unless you're really poor... ugh.</p>

2

<p>Look , this is coming from a parent with experience in having to pay down debt. It takes freaking forever. If you are going to bite the bullet and take on all those loans you better major in something that is in demand and network like crazy to ensure that you will have hopes of a decent job when you graduate. Do the math - if you need to, consult someone with a local bank to let you know just how much $70,000 at X percent interest over how many years will actually end up costing you. </p>

<p>And keep this in mind. A friend of mine is a successful lawyer - well paid, well traveled. Went to one of the top colleges for undergrad and law - in retrospect he says that everything useful he learned about law he learned from the secretary at the law firm that he started at and his high priced education was a waste considering that he could have the same training at the state school and would have passed the same BAR exam, etc....</p>

<p>Keep your options open, look at those schools that offered you money and opportunity. You could do a lot with that.</p>