are you paying on student loans?

[bertha katzenengel]

Poll question: are you paying on student loans?

[dhinojosa]

1. Never took one out.....

Lucky, lucky, joy, joy. Never graduated though. But started my own business. Yeah!

A customer of mine calls me the "smartest uneducated man" she's ever met.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

2. Don't have any

Made it through undergrad with no loans -- luckily.

Sadly, I'm considering going back for grad school which will be heavily financed by loans. My bachelor's degree hasn't really done a lot for me.

Thanks, Georgie!

[Jokerman]

3. Not anymore. Paid them off years ago. n/t

[mike_c]

4. my student loan payments are my highest single monthly expense....

About $1000 per month. It sucks. Going deeply into debt is just about the only way most poor people in this country can gain access to higher education. That is fundamentally wrong, IMO.

[bertha katzenengel]

10. Oh, man, Mike...

Mine's quite a bit less. But then, I probably took out a lot less than you.

I agree w/ your take on how the poor are forced to educate themselves by going into debt. It is terribly wrong.

[LWolf]

5. Made the last payment, last month.

Now is when I should be looking at finishing my 2 incomplete Masters, but I can't afford more student loans. I took a 30% paycut when I moved out of state, and the cost of living is about the same. I'm looking under every rock for more places to cut my budget, and taking on more debt isn't in the mix.

[ceile]

6. Oh, boy, am I ever!!! n/t

[trackfan]

7. No. When I went to UCLA it was $131/quarter

My total registration fees for college were under $1500

[StuckinBFE]

8. Yes and I was luck to consolidate my loans last year

I feel bad for students that will be graduating in the coming years since the interest rate is rising and grants are being cut. I admit that I am also luckly to have parents that could help me with college.

[hopein08]

17. I consolidated last spring too...

Mine aren't too bad but I'm planning on graduate school soon so that'll add it.

My grandparents helped me out. I also saved money buy going to school in my hometown & living at home.

[SmileyBoy]

9. Once I graduate, I'll be paying off at least two.

Maybe more.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Yes, and we graduated from college in '93.

[hunter]

12. All paid off just this year, thanks to all that is Good in this Universe.

I am a very fortunate man.

But student loans were invented by the DEVIL. I will NEVER do business with these loan sharks again. I will forever remember the times they harasssed me when I was destitute.

Die you demon scum student loan corporations, die!

[MercutioATC]

13. I used to, many years ago. Been done for quite a while.

[MissB]

14. Yep.

Couple more years. Minor monthly payment.

[WeRQ4U]

15. Yep. Lawschool now costs me more per month than my mortgage.

[Nikia]

16. Yes

I always point that out to my friend, who admittedly is struggling financially, but never attended college. I strongly dislike my job, but stay because I cannot seem to get a job that pays any better (but I still make under $30,000/yr). He says that even though that I don't like my job and want to get paid more, at least I am making significantly more than him. I say "But I have to pay several hundred dollars every month for the loans for college that were supposed to allow me to get a good paying job."
Is it wrong or elitist of me to say that to someone with a low paying job? I know that I am not the only one in this situation. Some college grads have been unable to get jobs reequiring a degree. There are some jobs that are advertised as requiring a degree in my area that only pay around $10/hour. I know that a college education should be its own reward, but yes I think that my degree, which I am still paying on, should allow me to make more than $30,000/year.

[alarimer]

18. For 15 years!!

I will be done with one by December and the other two by next summer. Feels good to see those totals so small now. It will be a huge burden lifted. I had about $25,000 altogether (for a degree I never finished- but I went back to grad school a few years ago and this time didn't take out any loans though I did borrow some money from the folks).

[u4ic]

19. I don't think I'll ever shake the damn thing

:banghead:

[bertha katzenengel]

20. dang!

:(