was your student loan debt worth it?

[Dear Summer]

I owe about 40k+ and if you really think about it, it's quite a LOT. It feels like I have been making endless payments and I have to continue to do this for the next few years. Even if I make $1,000 payments a month, it will take me years til it's paid off. How about for you?

 

[Gibson486]

40K...that's nothing....

 

[rcpratt]

I'm lucky enough not to have any loans, but if I did, I would say that it was ultimately worth it, but I would have chosen an in-state school at a third the cost if I knew I was going to have to pay for it.

 

[gorcorps]

Not even done and I already regret it. Got through undergrad on basically a free ride, but went back for a Masters when the economy took a shit and there were no jobs. Now a year later I'm already 25-30 grand in debt for a degree I never really planned on having in the first place.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

intentionally went to a school where i would not have to go into debt

 

[IceBergSLiM]

The experience was well worth it.

 

[nickbits]

i worked while i was in school so i didn't need to take on debt.

i do regret my fiancee's debt since she never finsihed school but it is only 10k

 

[MJinZ]

I have none, but I will be probably $120K + in a school loan debt in a few years.

 

[JTsyo]

Mine were great, I had 16K in loans, paid about 2K and then my work paid off the rest. Though my parents paid the bulk of the tuition.

 

[Drako]

Yes, it was worth it for me.

Loans/grants/scholarships helped me to get a college degree quickly so that I could get a relatively high paying job without having to work minimum wage jobs while I got my education.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

BS 04 MS 07 PhD 11 (knock on wood). Total loans: $8,500. Worth every penny.

 

[Ns1]

I regret taking out the loans, but at the same time I'm happy where I am now and it would not have been possible w/o said loans.

 

[Pantlegz]

As of right now, no. But possibly in a year or so... fucking gov't jobs. If I were doing any real work I'd be pissed.

 

[Miklebud]

Went to a State College, so not much! Lived off campus, so had minimal loans. Ended up being around $11k. Had it paid off within 9 months of finishing school. It was VERY worth it!

 

[pontifex]

I can answer this easily - HELL NO!

 

[Matthiasa]

Unless your degree was in underwater basket weaving, or you didn't graduate it would almost certainly be worth it for just about everyone.

Please note that may not be the case for someone that was good with the trades.

 

[dbk]

i owe almost 60k ... fuckin grad school

 

[capntrader]

i personally have repaid back more than 30k and after more than a decade since graduation, ive yet to ever land a job, get more money or utilize my degree in any way.

in my experience, its what you know not where you went to learn it. salaries are based upon performance, seniority and relationships. everyone has the same chance of success through hard work and never giving up. the never giving up part is the hardest. a college degree may help for some, but its not a hinderance for someone with a half a brain and a good deal of common sense.

out of loan debt made way for new debt. the best thing a higher education gave me was to believe in myself able to achieve my goals. thats what i paid them back for, and with a matter of perspective - it was worth it for just that.

 

[Ns1]

i personally have repaid back more than 30k and after more than a decade since graduation, ive yet to ever land a job

dude, seriously?

 

[wheresmybacon]

If I could do it over again, I'd probably go to a state school instead of a small liberal arts college. That's not to say I didn't love college, I did, it's just I spent a ton of $$$.

 

[DougK62]

I intentionally went to an inexpensive state school and left owing $0 - I worked while schooling. Best set of decisions of my life thus far.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

dude, seriously?

I suspect (s)he meant their degree never landed them a job. Not that they've been unemployed for 10 years.

 

[lsv]

I never went to post secondary. I work for a big media company. Unless you want to be come a scientist education means nothing.

 

[Bryophyte]

I intentionally went to an inexpensive state school and left owing $0 - I worked while schooling. Best set of decisions of my life thus far.

This. If you can avoid saddling yourself with tens of thousands of dollars of debt from the day you start your career, the better off you'll be in the long run.

 

[wheresmybacon]

I never went to post secondary. I work for a big media company. Unless you want to be come a scientist education means nothing.

Or unless you want to be considered for almost any job that's worth a shit. It's not what you study, it's that your have the diploma.