Anyone screwed over with student loans?

[eageraLap]

Im taking a loan out for approx 50k for art school in january (3d animation). This covers tuition and living expenses for the 1 year intensive course. Its a really good school apparently - but im still nervous about the year ending, being 25 years old, jobless and my life being screwed from debt.

Everyone is encouraging me saying its an investment in my future, but im still nervous about it.
Anyone had any experiences, or words of wisdom?

[Rockwulf]

You better be AWESOME at 3D for it to be worth it. I got my BS in 3D and I bounce at a bar for cash. :-(

[Lady Alias]

Well...it does depend on the school. If it's something like SCAD, you can get hired fairly easy. So if you're sure it's a good school, I would feel secure about the loan. It's just one year, though? That sounds a little odd to me.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

I used to be totally terrified of debt. Now I realize, it's just part of life. You have your whole life to pay it off. You'll get through it. Don't worry. The real deal is just how "committed" you are to this as a career. If not, then don't do it. If this is really what you want to do and you see yourself as not only talented, but driven towards making this your career, then do it. Don't do it if you aren't totally sure this is what you want to do. Because then you'd owe $50K for nothing. That's just silly. At the same point though, if you do good in school, then after really trying hard to get into that same kind of field and fail, don't be too hard on yourself. It happens everyday with college graduates. Failure in something is NEVER the end all. Something else always takes it's place in one way or another.

I still remember some college kid a few years back who hung herself because she owed $2000.00 on a credit card. Fuckin' stupid.

And I also agree with Lady Alias. Make sure you're getting enough bang for your buck.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

One last thing....Are you a fuckin' bot? Did I just get ripped again? I got a bad feeling about this, Indy.

[Amelia G]

Well...it does depend on the school. If it's something like SCAD, you can get hired fairly easy. So if you're sure it's a good school, I would feel secure about the loan. It's just one year, though? That sounds a little odd to me.

I went to a good school and my six figure education only got me one job ever: nonsexual escort.

I did get my first non-rock glossy magazine clip as a writer for an article about that experience, but it paid approx $700, so do the math.

I probably use some of what I learned in my work now, but, for many years, if I could have changed any one decision I ever made in my whole life, I would not have gone to university.

[Amelia G]

It is still an interesting topic, even if it is a bot.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

I never got my degree. Didn't flunk out or anything. I had a "b" average after 3 years. Just woke up one day and realized I'd never use my degree for shit, so why am I putting myself through this? I never regetted it. I don't need a sheep skin to feel good about myself. I do that on my own.

[One Eyed Cat]

I wouldn't worry about too much. I'd have to know what specific types of loans you took out to have a sense of where you'll be after the year is up. I'm not sure what changes may be coming given the financial situation (speaking here of debtor not creditors whom we already paid off for fucking us)

J

[darkamor]

For me it wasn't so much a college as it was all the debts my Wife left behind after she died (if you co-sign anything with anyone and they die - guess what? you are stuck paying it until everything is gone and/or until you die) .....

10 years later I've paid off 90% of my debts, however with the current economical situation I will incur probably another 20% of debt to pay off (the killing joke for me is if I ever die from cancer they can't collect from me anymore - lol) ....

You've gotten some fab advise from good people here, eageraLap, and I hope things work out for the best :-)

~(^)~

[jonny.illuminati]

getting ready to finish my pre med degree (2 more years) then go to medical school... time for a change... i have enough money from the government to pay for 4 years of private school so i'm going to have to get a student loan for about 50K to cover Duke med school and living expenses... retirement and disability will help, but won't be enough

it's just money! go for it if it's what you want to do... i will be 40 in a month and i'm going to go to 6 more years of school plus a residency to become an ER Doc...