College Debt

[tuscarorarain]

A big topic lately has been college debt. !8,000 is around what I owe for just my Associate Degree in Health Care Records which includes the aspect of medical billing and coding. I plan to use my degree to transfer into a dentistry school. Because of my high grades and the fact that I have completed many of the same classes needed I can go for just around five more years. Although I will need to go for six more total years to obtain a doctorate degree.  My point is that while I would like to go back to college to start my own practice I cannot afford any more student loans until I get my current loans paid off. Because that will take so long returning to college becomes unlikely for many of us. However, the real trick is to work full time and go to college full time even with children and household responsibilities. Online schools can really help. Although many classes have to be taken in person you can save time by doing some classes online. This makes the future more obtainable. I do not want to be in dead end jobs or just barely getting by. I want my children to live comfortably and provide to charities and church. This thread is for sharing financial and time strategy ideas that will help make a higher education closer to your reach.
-Jesus loves you.

[falcon9]

A big topic lately has been college debt. !8,000 is around what I owe for just my Associate Degree in Health Care Records which includes the aspect of medical billing and coding. I plan to use my degree to transfer into a dentistry school. Because of my high grades and the fact that I have completed many of the same classes needed I can go for just around five more years. Although I will need to go for six more total years to obtain a doctorate degree.  My point is that while I would like to go back to college to start my own practice I cannot afford any more student loans until I get my current loans paid off. Because that will take so long returning to college becomes unlikely for many of us. However, the real trick is to work full time and go to college full time even with children and household responsibilities. Online schools can really help. Although many classes have to be taken in person you can save time by doing some classes online. This makes the future more obtainable. I do not want to be in dead end jobs or just barely getting by. I want my children to live comfortably and provide to charities and church. This thread is for sharing financial and time strategy ideas that will help make a higher education closer to your reach.

Eliminating all church-related activities should free-up a significant block of time in your instance.
-hth

[anotherlaujgirl]

I'm a Senior in Highschool...

And I am terrified of it!

[cloudsoup]

35k for an associate's degree and climbing
because i can't even afford the minimum amount
per month, so the interest just keeps on climbin' 

[sak4kat]

College debit is a  necessary evil.  In order to advance in any job we need a degree...even a basic associates..but unless we were born with a silver spoon in our mouths we end up with more debt that what it's worth if our plan for our future career backfires...no jobs, limited opportunities leads to longer lasting college debt.  I started my family young.  Went back to school while going through a divorce 12 years of marriage and 3 kids later... Rather continuing my education to get a better job to raise my children I got a job in a wal-mart bakery just to pay off what debt I had.  Does that make any sense at all?  I destroyed my arm decorating and for what?  Now I'm scared to go for any more education...it just cost me way to much for what it was worth.  I found experience was more rewarding than any paper could document.

[ricdsm]

I have a masters degree and I paid for my educatioin as I went along. It took a bit longer but I didn't have a big loan to deal w/ at the end either.  I'm glad that your faith is part of what spurs you on to get a better education.  Good for you.  Don't let anyone knock you down for that.

[CHANEYLAKEGIRL]

My daughter has a fair amount ($27K) of student loans. She is not using her degree and is working at a dead end job. I tried to tell her to go to a less expensive school, but she had big plans, etc. Now, she's wishing she listened to me.

[blondie71]

I finish school in early 2008 and got my associates degree for accounting but I didn' want to go to school, I got hurt at work twice and could no longer work in my field Social services was getting childsuport from my sons father but they told me I either have to do comunity service or go to school I told them if I could work I would keep my job, now I have 60,000 is school debt and not working and no money coming in from disability.  Its agervating, they said (loan place) I have to get a doctor to say I am disabeled well if I could do that I would have my SSA.  Every doctorI go to says they don't want to get involved.  So what can I do!

[madeara]

Hi,
Do your best to cut back on the money that you spend.  If possible, pay for classes as you go.  My faith strengthens me as well.  Stay focused, you can do it!

[tuscarorarain]

College debit is a  necessary evil.  In order to advance in any job we need a degree...even a basic associates..but unless we were born with a silver spoon in our mouths we end up with more debt that what it's worth if our plan for our future career backfires...no jobs, limited opportunities leads to longer lasting college debt.  I started my family young.  Went back to school while going through a divorce 12 years of marriage and 3 kids later... Rather continuing my education to get a better job to raise my children I got a job in a wal-mart bakery just to pay off what debt I had.  Does that make any sense at all?  I destroyed my arm decorating and for what?  Now I'm scared to go for any more education...it just cost me way to much for what it was worth.  I found experience was more rewarding than any paper could document.

I really have to agree with that as well, but still hold to the fact that it is good debt. However, in my field so much cost is added to your degree. For instance, I am considering getting my coding certificate and an x-ray certificate. Even though I am in medical records the x-ray certificate will help me when I go back to school for dentistry. I know a man I used to go to church with named Jack who still goes to college at 77 years old. Because he has so many bussinesses he can afford it. I think its great because it seems to help keep his mind sharp. When we learn about alzheimer's disease we learn that people get knots on their brains. Constant learning seems to prevent that and straighten out what portion of the disease does exist. Theres a lot of interesting points to a college education.
-Jesus loves you.