Trust me, it can be done. I am living proof!
When I earned my nursing license and bachelor’s degree in communication disorders without any student loans, I was so proud of myself.
I felt no pressure to immediately scramble to find a good job and no worry about how I was going to pay my bills. I negotiated my pay at job interviews because I was not desperate. I took 2 months off to travel and see the world. I felt as free as a bird.
Now I am 2 semesters away from graduating debt free AGAIN with my graduate degree and so close to becoming a Speech Language Pathologist! I want to empower you to do the same in your own life.
I did not say it would be easy, but it is possible and worth every ounce of effort!
Many young adults are now graduating with thousands of dollars in student loan debt and they do not realize how difficult it will be to pay off.
It is the norm, but that does not mean it is smart! As Dave Ramsey says, “act your wage!” Living outside of your means is a recipe for disaster. Debt steals from your future and adds so much unneeded stress to your life.
The lending organizations are predatory and often don’t explain hidden fees or how fast your interest can add up. In many cases, you will be paying down interest for several years before your principle (the actual amount you borrowed) decreases, even if you do find a high paying job right out of college.
You should be running from student loans like the plague and I will show you how.
Why do you need to go to a university that charges $50,000 per year when you can get virtually the same education and degree at a college that only costs $10,000-$20,000 per year or less?
Sure, some employers may consider where you went to school, but I promise you everyone has the same odds of securing a job straight out of college.
You have little to no real life experience in the field and you have to prove yourself no matter if you graduated from Harvard or the University of Illinois.
Plus employers will consider your previous work history, volunteer experience, if you interview well, and any other pertinent accomplishments. Piling on that much more debt for a brand name college is absolutely not worth it!!!
Find a place of employment that is related to your degree and see if they will hire you for any position, even if you have to start out as a volunteer.
This will give you an income you can use to help pay for tuition and you will likely get valuable experience in your field.
Many employers offer tuition reimbursement too. Even if they don’t, be the first one to suggest that they should. Present to them why it would make you a more valuable employee.
You must always advocate for yourself, in every aspect of life and if you never ask you’ll never know.
Why pay more to live out of state or in a dorm?
I promise that you will find plenty of opportunities to party wherever you decide to earn your degree, even if you opt to live with your parents.
Living on campus may sound like a necessary experience, but it is not worth the extra money. The feeling you will have graduating debt free will surpass any experience you may have living on campus. The beer will taste the same, no matter where you are living.
Make it your full time job! There are thousands of scholarships out there that never get fulfilled because no one applies for them. It is free money, go claim it!
See if the company your parents work for offer scholarships. Look into scholarships that are based off of what makes you unique. You don’t have to be a straight A student or a gifted athlete. Apply to as many as you can.
This will take longer, but it will be more affordable.
Be smart. Compare how much you earn to the cost per credit hour at your school. See how much you can afford to pay monthly along with all of your other expenses. If you need to, try to ask for a raise or look for a higher paying job.
I was able to pay for my bachelors out of pocket because I took 2 classes at a time for a few semesters.
Yes, it took me longer, but looking back on it now, time flew by and I saved thousands of dollars in interest by not taking out loans.
You can complete many of the general education classes (English 101, for example) at a community college for a fraction of the price.
This will save so much money!
Also, it may help you decide or affirm which career path is truly right for you. I started out thinking I wanted to be a psychologist and when I changed my mind to nursing it was so easy because I hadn’t spent a lot of money yet and most of the classes I had already taken qualified for both degrees.
Don’t be like everyone else that is struggling to get by after college.
The banks and the government want you to have debt because it gives you less freedom to do whatever you want with your life. Do not be a slave to them for your entire life.
You have the power to create a beautiful life for yourself. Imagine holding your diploma debt free with nothing holding you back! I believe that you can do it.
Let me know what you think in the comments and if you have any other suggestions for graduating debt free!
Thanks for your blog, nice to read. Do not stop.