Um, what if I AM that student?

[WindRavenX]

From this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2051622

Basically, I'll be graduating close to 40K in student loans.

The best part?

I'm going into education :(

I'm really, really freaking out. I graduate THIS MAY.

This country fucking sucks balls sometimes, for reasons like this.

[thepurpose]

1. Well I hope your going into education as a top administrator, because I

don't know how in the hell your going to pay off your loans on a new teacher's salary. And it's a shame.

[WindRavenX]

2. I know

I'm looking at starting off at 29K a year as a HS bio teacher :( :( :(

WTF IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE PEOPLE.

[Horse with no Name]

14. We have teachers in our district

who have taught for 20 years that don't make that much.

[Anakin Skywalker]

3. Go to a Red State!

You won't be getting paid much at all! The voting populace of these states really have it in for anything "public", including public education. They are under the impression (probably built by their "worship the free-market" rigid mindset) that public school teachers and admins. do not deserve funding (because "they are all libruls", of course).

Life really sucks if you are a gov't worker or in the public sector in a red state.

[WindRavenX]

6. I'm moving to Utah

:(

I'm really getting worried now :cry:

[Anakin Skywalker]

7. I'm Sorry! Why?

Do you have a choice? I'm just wondering why you HAVE to move there?

[WindRavenX]

10. my SO lives there

And yes, I'm willing to deal with that god awful state to be with him...at least it's cheap to live there.

[rug]

15. Maybe all the wives can share the same house to keep expenses down.

[WindRavenX]

16. LOL

:thumbsup:

(FWIW, he's ex-mormon-- but he entire family is. This should be fun)

[sweetheart]

19. Utah is very beautiful, just get away from salt lake and the

mormoculture...

[MissB]

4. I have a family member

who is attending a private university in order to become a public school teacher. They will owe nearly $70k in student loans when they graduate in a few years. A huge portion of that will be from a private loan company (non-perkins/etc loan) with variable interest rates (cap of over 12%) and a 20 year repayment period.

That relative will find it hard to ever live without a roommate, let alone own a home.

:hug: Your situation isn't so bad. You'll get a job, if you're even half as dynamic as you are around here. Eventually, you'll pay those loans off.

Congrats on almost being done!

[Nikia]

5. I think that you get a discount on the Perkins loan

If you become a teacher. If you have this loan, you might want to check that out and see if there are any other terms regarding that or what paper work you might have to fill out to get that.
If you have a direct loan, you can qualify for an income contigent payment plan if you make below a certain amount in relation to expected loan payment.
By being a teacher instead of taking an entry level job for someone with a 4 year degree in biology, you really probably won't be making much less. Unfortunately, I know this from experience.

[MissB]

8. Yeah, there is some sort of discount for teaching in low-income areas

for Perkins loans (up to 30% after five years). If WindRavenX has Perkins, that may be something to look into.

[WindRavenX]

11. I have Perkins

But the areas I'll probably be teaching in SLC are probably not going to meet that requirement-- but I'll look into it anyway. Thanks for the info! :hi:

[Nutmegger]

9. A friend of a friend got her education paid for

in Italy. All she had to do was to show up to class, ready and prepared. She commented on the stark contrast from her home country and America. But you mention anything like "socialism" in this country and people want you hanged.

I've seen public school tuition skyrocket within the past two years. I've also seen the $$$ from loans increase and public aid decrease. I spoke with many others who are in similar situations. It sucks ass.

And with the economy now, no one knows what's going to happen. It's a damn shame.

People - college students and their parents especially - should read Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-Somethings Can't Get Ahead. Please, even if you read a few pages a day. It's important.

[aikoaiko]

12. ouch, choosing to go into debt for more than your starting salary is rough

I dont know your situation (family, dependents, other debt, etc), but the good news is if you are single and make good prudent choices now, you'll be ok. Its a tough nut to pay, but get rid of the debt as soon as you can.

As a professor I see students making similar choices to go into debt to get through fast or go to a private school, and I urge them not to.

Fortunately, everyone in GA can get a free public university education if you keep your grades up. Unfortunately, far too many students are not prepared for college, get some bad grades, and then have to pay on their own.

[brer cat]

17. Sorry, Professor, GA doesn't offer "free" education...

The Hope scholarship is wonderful, make no bones about that, but it is hardly a free education. $300 a YEAR for books? My daughter paid that this semester for her Spanish book alone. Room & board? What about non-traditional students who require housing?

Don't misunderstand, I believe the Hope scholarship has done wonders to help poor students attend college, and my daughter would not be there without it, but when you call it "free" you greatly disrespect the students who have to really struggle to get all the extras it doesn't cover. My daughter has a 4.0 GPA going into her senior year in accounting at a GA public college, but she is also heavily in debt due to the cost of housing, books, etc.

[aikoaiko]

21. yes, its not easy, but it can be done.

Most books can be gotten cheaper online and for used. What Spanish book did she use? Let's look it up.

Adults generally need to pay for their own housing and food whether they are in college or not. So I generally dont count that, but you make a good point. I suppose when I think of not having to pay tuition and have a book fund as basically free. Most of the cost of GA higher ed is already picked up by the taxpayers.

I certainly didn't intend to disrespect you or your daughter, but I bet she didn't have to go into debt. I know people who are getting degrees via hope without going into debt. Sometimes it means being much more frugal than one wants or getting a job to take care of other responsibilities and taking longer to get a degree, but debt is not required with for the degree in GA.

[brer cat]

23. And I didn't mean to disrespect you, but "free" is not true

for many students. We live in NO GA mountains where the cost of books and boarding/housing or commuting costs keep many students who qualify for Hope out of the picture.

I am a book dealer who also sells online; we are internet book buying savy. But my daughter's Spanish book comes with a CD which she must have because she is tested on it, and she could not find a used one with the CD. She always gets her books lists ahead but rarely finds anything usable online once shipping is taken into account. You are a Professor, surely you know the book tradition...change them every couple of years, low repayment for trade-in, high cost for even used books. And many Professors get free copies.

She is a non-traditional student, a single mom of two pre-schoolers, so her situation is different, but she is no less deserving of higher education to advance her chance in life and provide for her children. She also has a full-time job, working unbelievable hours on weekends when grandparents can keep her children.

I do NOT expect the government to pay for every expense every student has in order to go to school. That was not my point. I was in sympathy with this student who is leaving school with big loans, as my daughter will. What I resented was your comments about a "free" GA education because I know so many GA youth who qualify, but can't pay the extras.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. The good news is...

There are a lot of low-income distrincts that will pay off your loans (Perkins?) if you teach for them.

I mean, if you're planning on public education.

[RumpusCat]

18. Don't panic

And don't let the, ah, rather excitable other thread convince you that you're going to die in a cardboard box under the interstate. Yeah, student loans are rough and you're going to be paying on them for awhile but your situation isn't that unusual. Stay in contact with your lending institution and don't default. Seriously, there are people out there that rack up tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt, which is exponentially worse than student loan debt, and manage to crawl out from under it.

You shouldn't have to start paying on those loans until the fall of '07. At that point, HOPEFULLY, we'll have had a Dem Congress for a year and will be winding up to elect a Dem to the presidency! Okay, I go back and forth in how optimistic I feel about upcoming elections, but let's be hopeful that a more education- and working-people friendly government comes to power.

This country does suck balls sometimes but no one's coming after you with the debtor's prison shackles yet! :hi: :hug:

[Wiley50]

20. My Kid Works Retail Sales. Pays $380/mo SL

It Kicks my butt.

The kid got two bach in 4 years
on his own
No help from me.
(I'm disabled)

Now he's thinking about teaching as a way out

"No Son, That ain't gonna do it"

I'd rant but you've all heard it before

[WindRavenX]

22. what a great country huh?

No one wants teachers anymore.