<p>The school I'm planning to attend awarded me over $33,000 in aid, nearly enough to cover tuition. I still need about $9,000 for my first year for room and board. My books are covered my first year due to an essay contest I won. My parents can only contribute a small amount and have indicated they would prefer me to take out the remaining balance in my name (basically get student loans). They have said they would help make the payments, but want me to take them out in my name that way they have no pressure to pay them back immediately. I'm not extremely perplexed about graduating with substantial debt. I know I should be, but I feel like I'm making an investment in my future. So, basically, I am very eager to hear you recommendations on who I should take loans out from? </p>
<p>On another note, I am a bit worried though for another reason. I know it's four years away, but I would really like to attend law school after undergraduate. I don't mind working in law school to start paying off my loans, but I know I'll have to take out even more. </p>
<p>Please give me any relevant advice. =D</p>
<p>did you include Stafford loans in the amount that is already covered.
If not that is up to $5500 you can take out in loans for your freshman year.</p>
<p>If you have financial need (as determined by the college) up to $3500 of that could be in subsidized stafford loans and the interest on them doesn't accrue while you are in school (and you don't have to make payments until you graduate)</p>
<p>It is unrealistic to expect to graduate debt free unless A) your parents pay for everything b)you get a full ride from the college. </p>
<p>You can also work and earn money.</p>
<p>Yes, Stafford loans were already included in my package. I also have a work study through the college in my package. I do plan on working during school, but most of that money will go towards necessities and a few luxuries like clothes, etc. </p>
<p>Anyway, the college I'm going to attend has PLUS loans (Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students) and we qualified for up $12,000 per year. However, like I said my parents want me to take out loans in my name to free them up financially. So I really need some help. I have good parents, but they aren't very helpful with this sort of thing. I did the whole college search by myself. I also have a younger brother and sister so I see why they don't want to be bogged down in extra loans.</p>
<p>tell them the Stafford loans ARE in YOUR name. </p>
<p>What is your family's efc.</p>
<p>You can get an idea of what it will be here.
FinAid</a> | Calculators | Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Financial Aid
this doesn't have the 2009-2010 data (I have written to this site and not heard back).</p>
<p>Your parents probably have an EFC in the 10-12K range. Many colleges will put that down on a FA award paper as a Plus Loan. </p>
<p>Your parents are expected to contribute (from savings, current income and loans if necessary. </p>
<p>If you are already down for 3500-5500 in stafford loans (did you get a perkins loan too??) then it is NOT a good idea to take out 9K more in YOUR name. </p>
<p>If your parents have a very low EFC, you would have also been awarded a Pell grant.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider is that your award is based on the schools 2008-2009 COA, there is a good chance that the COA will be higher than that next year and therefore that difference needs to come from somewhere.</p>
<p>So, it sounds like you will be taking out student loans each year to go to college... an average of 5K per year as part of your "aid" package (or is it more?) plus somehow another 9K a year that you are still trying to find a student based loan to cover for a total of 14K per year. That assumes tuition doesn't go up or the grant-based portion of your aid doesn't go down. Considering economic times, that is a long shot. 14K times 4 years almost 60K of student debt.</p>
<p>Can you realistically handle that debt? What if you are unable to attend law school in a timely fashion? What will the economy be like 4 - 8 years from now? These are questions to consider. There are many students today who went into serious debt to get a degree and are unemployed or underemployed and struggling with a mountain of student loan debt.</p>
<p>In short, seriously consider your local community college and transfer to a local 4 year college. Private school tuition is a heavy burden and often not worth the fancy designer label.</p>
<p>Annika</p>
<p>$60,000 of student debt is a very large monthly payment. Sometimes students pay monthly for loans as much as a car payment or even a house payment.</p>
<p>Consider what you will be willing to work off, and realize that that much debt is going to be a very heavy burden. Be sure to check out your state school and cheaper alternatives.</p>
<p>Take out the maximum Stafford that you can, and ask your parents to take out the PLUS for the difference. Or split the difference. Also start looking for jobs to bring down the dollar amounts and help pay back your parents loans. My son has made about $3K this past term and is working as I type during holiday break.</p>
<p>I seriously doubt that you will be able to get an additional (in addition to the Stafford) student loan in YOUR name only. Someone with some collateral and a job will need to co-sign this loan with you. In most cases, the co-signer would be a parent...will your parents co-sign a loan for you?</p>
<p>Yeah, I know it's a lot of debt. =\ And yes, my parents will co-sign for me.</p>
<p>I have an appointment with the financial aid office so hopefully they'll give me some advice.</p>
<p>I won't really consider switching schools. For one this is my dream school, so I'm a bit stubborn and two, I really don't like my state schools - University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice by the way.</p>