OT: New grad/profession/school pay….

[meadandale]

[quote=bearishgurl]
If you don’t mind my asking, meadandale, how much was your student loan debt upon graduation? And how much was your rent (or your portion of rent) upon graduating?
[/quote]

I didn’t take out a lot of loans because I didn’t want to be saddled with debt. I worked near full time all through college to pay for living expenses and tuition…often two jobs. Interest rates for student loans were very high in the 80’s (even federally backed loans). You didn’t get one unless you absolutely had to.

I probably had about $10-15k of student loan debt when I graduated in 1990. I was making about $22k/yr with a B.A. in Chemistry and paying about $500/month in rent to rent a room in an apartment/house/condo (I lived in several places and the price was similar for all of them). I hardly ever went out to bars or restaurants, didn’t have a car and bicycled to work. I bought a lot of top ramen and frozen vegetables.

I think that the reason that so many college students have so much debt these days is partly because many of them don’t work and the rely solely on loans to pay for college and their living expenses. You know what they say about other peoples money: you aren’t really frugal when you are getting a student aid check and aren’t working your ass off to earn that money.

Granted, tuitions have risen MUCH faster than salaries..this is partly because of the student loan industry. If the loans weren’t available the schools wouldn’t be able to raise tuition because noone could afford to go there…and I’m talking about state schools like UCSD and SDSU not ivy league colleges.

However, it’s a large part cultural. My niece makes $45k/year working for a judge at the courthouse in SB county…yet she says she “can’t afford” an apartment and so still lives at home at 27 yo. Of course not when she spends 90% of her paycheck every month at the mall on clothes and other crap and eats 3 times a day at starbucks…and even manages to pile more on her credit card.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale]. . . I think that the reason that so many college students have so much debt these days is partly because many of them don’t work and the rely solely on loans to pay for college and their living expenses. You know what they say about other peoples money: you aren’t really frugal when you are getting a student aid check and aren’t working your ass off to earn that money.[/quote]

This is true, meadandale. I have a kid who is working their way thru college (almost done) and also paying all their own living expenses (in SF, no less), except for cell phone and car insurance. No student loans have been taken out.

Some of the kids I was referring to here DID NOT work and also lived in expensive areas while going to college.

[quote=meadandale]Granted, tuitions have risen MUCH faster than salaries..this is partly because of the student loan industry. If the loans weren’t available the schools wouldn’t be able to raise tuition because noone could afford to go there…and I’m talking about state schools like UCSD and SDSU not ivy league colleges.[/quote]

Yes, those kids I referred to all graduated from CA public universities. If student loans had not been available to them, they might have just graduated from Southwestern College (a CC) with their Associate Degrees and called it a day. A few of them started out there.

Back in my day, only those who could AFFORD to go to college went (about 17% of HS grads). There was very little assistance available.

[quote=meadandale]However, it’s a large part cultural. My niece makes $45k/year working for a judge at the courthouse in SB county…yet she says she “can’t afford” an apartment and so still lives at home at 27 yo. Of course not when she spends 90% of her paycheck every month at the mall on clothes and other crap and eats 3 times a day at starbucks…and even manages to pile more on her credit card.[/quote]

Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale]. . . I think that the reason that so many college students have so much debt these days is partly because many of them don’t work and the rely solely on loans to pay for college and their living expenses. You know what they say about other peoples money: you aren’t really frugal when you are getting a student aid check and aren’t working your ass off to earn that money.[/quote]

This is true, meadandale. I have a kid who is working their way thru college (almost done) and also paying all their own living expenses (in SF, no less), except for cell phone and car insurance. No student loans have been taken out.

Some of the kids I was referring to here DID NOT work and also lived in expensive areas while going to college.

[quote=meadandale]Granted, tuitions have risen MUCH faster than salaries..this is partly because of the student loan industry. If the loans weren’t available the schools wouldn’t be able to raise tuition because noone could afford to go there…and I’m talking about state schools like UCSD and SDSU not ivy league colleges.[/quote]

Yes, those kids I referred to all graduated from CA public universities. If student loans had not been available to them, they might have just graduated from Southwestern College (a CC) with their Associate Degrees and called it a day. A few of them started out there.

Back in my day, only those who could AFFORD to go to college went (about 17% of HS grads). There was very little assistance available.

[quote=meadandale]However, it’s a large part cultural. My niece makes $45k/year working for a judge at the courthouse in SB county…yet she says she “can’t afford” an apartment and so still lives at home at 27 yo. Of course not when she spends 90% of her paycheck every month at the mall on clothes and other crap and eats 3 times a day at starbucks…and even manages to pile more on her credit card.[/quote]

Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale]. . . I think that the reason that so many college students have so much debt these days is partly because many of them don’t work and the rely solely on loans to pay for college and their living expenses. You know what they say about other peoples money: you aren’t really frugal when you are getting a student aid check and aren’t working your ass off to earn that money.[/quote]

This is true, meadandale. I have a kid who is working their way thru college (almost done) and also paying all their own living expenses (in SF, no less), except for cell phone and car insurance. No student loans have been taken out.

Some of the kids I was referring to here DID NOT work and also lived in expensive areas while going to college.

[quote=meadandale]Granted, tuitions have risen MUCH faster than salaries..this is partly because of the student loan industry. If the loans weren’t available the schools wouldn’t be able to raise tuition because noone could afford to go there…and I’m talking about state schools like UCSD and SDSU not ivy league colleges.[/quote]

Yes, those kids I referred to all graduated from CA public universities. If student loans had not been available to them, they might have just graduated from Southwestern College (a CC) with their Associate Degrees and called it a day. A few of them started out there.

Back in my day, only those who could AFFORD to go to college went (about 17% of HS grads). There was very little assistance available.

[quote=meadandale]However, it’s a large part cultural. My niece makes $45k/year working for a judge at the courthouse in SB county…yet she says she “can’t afford” an apartment and so still lives at home at 27 yo. Of course not when she spends 90% of her paycheck every month at the mall on clothes and other crap and eats 3 times a day at starbucks…and even manages to pile more on her credit card.[/quote]

Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale]. . . I think that the reason that so many college students have so much debt these days is partly because many of them don’t work and the rely solely on loans to pay for college and their living expenses. You know what they say about other peoples money: you aren’t really frugal when you are getting a student aid check and aren’t working your ass off to earn that money.[/quote]

This is true, meadandale. I have a kid who is working their way thru college (almost done) and also paying all their own living expenses (in SF, no less), except for cell phone and car insurance. No student loans have been taken out.

Some of the kids I was referring to here DID NOT work and also lived in expensive areas while going to college.

[quote=meadandale]Granted, tuitions have risen MUCH faster than salaries..this is partly because of the student loan industry. If the loans weren’t available the schools wouldn’t be able to raise tuition because noone could afford to go there…and I’m talking about state schools like UCSD and SDSU not ivy league colleges.[/quote]

Yes, those kids I referred to all graduated from CA public universities. If student loans had not been available to them, they might have just graduated from Southwestern College (a CC) with their Associate Degrees and called it a day. A few of them started out there.

Back in my day, only those who could AFFORD to go to college went (about 17% of HS grads). There was very little assistance available.

[quote=meadandale]However, it’s a large part cultural. My niece makes $45k/year working for a judge at the courthouse in SB county…yet she says she “can’t afford” an apartment and so still lives at home at 27 yo. Of course not when she spends 90% of her paycheck every month at the mall on clothes and other crap and eats 3 times a day at starbucks…and even manages to pile more on her credit card.[/quote]

Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale]. . . I think that the reason that so many college students have so much debt these days is partly because many of them don’t work and the rely solely on loans to pay for college and their living expenses. You know what they say about other peoples money: you aren’t really frugal when you are getting a student aid check and aren’t working your ass off to earn that money.[/quote]

This is true, meadandale. I have a kid who is working their way thru college (almost done) and also paying all their own living expenses (in SF, no less), except for cell phone and car insurance. No student loans have been taken out.

Some of the kids I was referring to here DID NOT work and also lived in expensive areas while going to college.

[quote=meadandale]Granted, tuitions have risen MUCH faster than salaries..this is partly because of the student loan industry. If the loans weren’t available the schools wouldn’t be able to raise tuition because noone could afford to go there…and I’m talking about state schools like UCSD and SDSU not ivy league colleges.[/quote]

Yes, those kids I referred to all graduated from CA public universities. If student loans had not been available to them, they might have just graduated from Southwestern College (a CC) with their Associate Degrees and called it a day. A few of them started out there.

Back in my day, only those who could AFFORD to go to college went (about 17% of HS grads). There was very little assistance available.

[quote=meadandale]However, it’s a large part cultural. My niece makes $45k/year working for a judge at the courthouse in SB county…yet she says she “can’t afford” an apartment and so still lives at home at 27 yo. Of course not when she spends 90% of her paycheck every month at the mall on clothes and other crap and eats 3 times a day at starbucks…and even manages to pile more on her credit card.[/quote]

Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.

[meadandale]

[quote=bearishgurl]Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.[/quote]

Spoiled…enabled…it’s all the same. The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.

She got a bunch of money for graduation. Did she save it so she could use it to pay for tuition or books are maybe get a car? Nope. SHE WENT TO THE MALL…and bought a bunch of clothes and other crap she doesn’t need. Savings? We don’t need no stinkin’ savings!

It’s gonna be ‘interesting’ to see how this train wreck unfolds…

[meadandale]

[quote=bearishgurl]Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.[/quote]

Spoiled…enabled…it’s all the same. The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.

She got a bunch of money for graduation. Did she save it so she could use it to pay for tuition or books are maybe get a car? Nope. SHE WENT TO THE MALL…and bought a bunch of clothes and other crap she doesn’t need. Savings? We don’t need no stinkin’ savings!

It’s gonna be ‘interesting’ to see how this train wreck unfolds…

[meadandale]

[quote=bearishgurl]Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.[/quote]

Spoiled…enabled…it’s all the same. The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.

She got a bunch of money for graduation. Did she save it so she could use it to pay for tuition or books are maybe get a car? Nope. SHE WENT TO THE MALL…and bought a bunch of clothes and other crap she doesn’t need. Savings? We don’t need no stinkin’ savings!

It’s gonna be ‘interesting’ to see how this train wreck unfolds…

[meadandale]

[quote=bearishgurl]Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.[/quote]

Spoiled…enabled…it’s all the same. The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.

She got a bunch of money for graduation. Did she save it so she could use it to pay for tuition or books are maybe get a car? Nope. SHE WENT TO THE MALL…and bought a bunch of clothes and other crap she doesn’t need. Savings? We don’t need no stinkin’ savings!

It’s gonna be ‘interesting’ to see how this train wreck unfolds…

[meadandale]

[quote=bearishgurl]Sounds like your niece is just spoiled, meadandale. Working for a judge is NOT an entry-level position. It is at least two promotions up from that. She DEFINITELY makes enough to live comfortably in SB County as a single person, assuming her debt load is not too high . . . lol. You have your sister/brother and perhaps their spouse to thank for enabling her. They’re not helping her grow up and become independent.[/quote]

Spoiled…enabled…it’s all the same. The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.

She got a bunch of money for graduation. Did she save it so she could use it to pay for tuition or books are maybe get a car? Nope. SHE WENT TO THE MALL…and bought a bunch of clothes and other crap she doesn’t need. Savings? We don’t need no stinkin’ savings!

It’s gonna be ‘interesting’ to see how this train wreck unfolds…

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale] . . . The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.[/quote](emphasis added)

meadandale, her half-sister may be able to qualify for assistance or attend CC free. If she can’t get a grant, her student loans won’t be that much. As a CC student, she will qualify for a $32 mo bus pass (the same as K-12).

If you have any influence over her, please try to talk her into an ROP program she is interested in so she can get REAL WORK ASAP. This is just my .02.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale] . . . The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.[/quote](emphasis added)

meadandale, her half-sister may be able to qualify for assistance or attend CC free. If she can’t get a grant, her student loans won’t be that much. As a CC student, she will qualify for a $32 mo bus pass (the same as K-12).

If you have any influence over her, please try to talk her into an ROP program she is interested in so she can get REAL WORK ASAP. This is just my .02.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale] . . . The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.[/quote](emphasis added)

meadandale, her half-sister may be able to qualify for assistance or attend CC free. If she can’t get a grant, her student loans won’t be that much. As a CC student, she will qualify for a $32 mo bus pass (the same as K-12).

If you have any influence over her, please try to talk her into an ROP program she is interested in so she can get REAL WORK ASAP. This is just my .02.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=meadandale] . . . The sad thing is that her half sister just graduated from high school and has NEVER worked. She has no driver’s license, no money, no work experience and both her parent’s are basically broke as well–yet she wants to go to community college. How she’ll pay for it is anyone’s guess She hasn’t even been forced (like all my brother’s and sisters as well as me were) to do chores around the house so she hasn’t even a glimmer of anything resembling a work ethic.[/quote](emphasis added)

meadandale, her half-sister may be able to qualify for assistance or attend CC free. If she can’t get a grant, her student loans won’t be that much. As a CC student, she will qualify for a $32 mo bus pass (the same as K-12).

If you have any influence over her, please try to talk her into an ROP program she is interested in so she can get REAL WORK ASAP. This is just my .02.

[Author]

Posts