**College and Student Loans**

A couple of things...

First of, if you are a gifted math student ( like I was not), Computer Engineering and not Computer Science is the degree to get.


Second, newly grads making $50K or more freshly minted grads (other than engineering) is mostly a pipe dream or unless you live in a HIGH cost area. Please look at the current unemployment rates, and then you'll see that you are not only competing against other grads, but also against people with years of experience.


Third, if you are planning on applying to the FBI after school, join the at least the Reserves NOW. Prep yourself on the ASVAB, score high and aim for a military job that needs a TS (Top Secret) security clearance.
When applying for the FBI/DEA et all, you'll be miles ahead of the guys that do not have a TS clearance.

Fourth, Do not get into debt now. The economy sucks big time, and will be for the foreseable future. Taking loans in this time of uncertainty is a VERY BAD IDEA. If you do take loans, make sure that they don't go past $15-$20K dollars total. Not per year, TOTAL, otherwise if plan A fails, plan B will drown you.

God luck in your college career!

 

I would still try. They do hire straight out of college, especially if you're shit-hot in your field. Don't just take someone's word for it. Let them tell you what you need.

Another option might be other Federal law enforcement agencies like NCIS which also offer internships for Juniors and Seniors.
Another place you might look into for an internship is SPAWAR (Space and Naval Warfare Center) in Charleston.

 

I didn't read this thread all the way through but another option is keep your grades high and apply for scholarships every year. There are tons of scholarships that go uncollected by people you just have to apply for them.

For instance I applied for a shoot for the moon or some crap like that for a scholarship on why you are pursuing your degree that inspired me to want to go to outer space. I had no inclination to go to outer space but I wrote an essay and bam $500 towards school. Not bad.

In my experience, work less while you go to school unless it is in the field you want to study. Work your butt off in school and don't just get good grades but understand your subject inside and out. Knowing your stuff is a lot more important for your future than working a shit job to just pay the bills when you can make double if not triple when you graduate.

 

I design, install, maintain and operate $million PA systems for public events venues (i.e. theatres). Currently I get paid shit because I work for a venue owned and operated by a local city government. There are literally, three positions in the entire state of Oklahoma that do what I do, and my venue is the best of all of them.

I'm working on finding a better job where I will get paid 100% more than my current base salary and have to work 25% less (i.e. little to no overtime), but that means moving out of state, probably to Las Vegas, NV.

 

Thanks for the tip! Im looking at ASVAB requirements and it looks like getting into the high 70+ will get me where i want to go.

Oh believe me, im still going to try,the worst they can say is no right?

I'll visit that place in charleston and inquire there

Yes i too looked at stuff like that, and i opted that "it was stupid and it's only -Insert dollar amount-, a couple of those would add up significantly.

I'm pretty much attempting to fully understand what im studying and not trying to make the grade and forget about it

 

I took the ASVAB about 9 years ago as I was considering joining the Guard. Scored an 89 overall. The recruiter kept trying to push me into an intelligence unit as an interrogator. I told them to go take a hike as I had a problem with the whole bamboo shoots under the fingernails thing. She started blabbing about the Army Code of Conduct etc...Then the Abu Grhaib scandal broke and they quit calling.

Both of my brothers are in the Army, one deployed to Afghanistan and has been back a year. They hate it with a passion.

You have to watch the recruiters. They are worse than used car salesmen and will use whatever bait and switch tactics they can on you.

 

I'd say that a lot of recruiters are bad, but not all. I served in the Army, and in my opinion Air Force and Coast Guard recs were better. I still chose Army for a bunch of reasons I won't get into.

BTW OP, Coast Guard= Homeland Security, so a CG career can more easily turn into a U.S. Customs Agent job...

 

OP, I feel like in your situation, more money should be available to you at a better rate. Is there any way your parents would be willing to stop claiming you on their taxes?

During undergrad, I got jack offered in the way of loans and scholarships due to my parents' income. Fortunately they were willing to pay for my school. I then elected to go to grad school, and learned that you HAVE TO file the FAFSA as an individual, not under your parents. As an individual, I was offered a scholarship and major subsidized loans (I didn't work much during the previous tax year so your income could be different). I took out the subsidized and am fortunate enough to have landed a good job, and paid all the loans back prior graduating. So, all I got was a $30 service fee or whatever. The unsubsidized loans hurt, the interest really adds up. I have a lot of friends who will be paying a good chunk of their income for the next decade or two. But better that than not getting the education in my eyes.

Looks like military has already been discussed on here.. ROTC and GI bill are always good options. The GI Bill is pretty much the sh*t. My sis goes to a private school for $45k/yr on the governments dime on my dad's GI Bill, you really can't beat that.

 

Unless you are legally emancipated or declared a ward of the State.

 

Or a member of the Armed Services...

 

which could be arranged if the benefits outweigh the cons...

 

I really really really would like to abstain from posting what I am about to say but someone has to say it so it might as well be me.

Time and again we hear those wonderful success stories about fresh out of college students landing this huge job somewhere and how all things are rosy and their dreams came true. Reality is that for all of that to happen there had to have been extraordinary set of events and wheels set in motion years prior to college. Things like being born into financially well off family who saved money towards their kid's college or child being born with just the right body frame or physique that allowed him to become a successful athlete and get scholarships or belong to a particular ethnic background that helps out with school expenses. Things like some children being more gifted in some areas in school and more specifically attending advanced placement level classes. Things like parents having ties to a certain work place or someone in the family tree workign for a particular company or things like job opening just at the right time and nobody else scooped it up so person got that job. There are so many variables that contribute toward's one success that its almost improbable for an average folk out there to grow up, go to college and hope to earn that 6 figure salary in relatively short time frame.

And that is the reality that many people tend to overlook. We have been almost conditioned to believe that people with college education earn a lot more than people without college education. Majority of surveyed college graduates with BA/BS degree earning about $45,000 out of school. Majority also have bills coming out the wazoo because majority did not have extraordinary set of events that allowed them to graduate debt free. Majority did not get that dream job... but they got a great career job with glass ceilings and a career ladder to conquer. Majority did not become engineers or doctors or lawyers but those that did had extraordinary set of events that contributed to their success. Majority of people do not pursue masters because that's additional expenses they may not have with no definite and immediate promise of increased earning potential. Granted some employers pay for continuous education, one must often sign all kinds of legal binding agreements which obligate you to work, pursue masters degree, get good grades, pay for stuff out of pocket and only then be eligible for reimbursement. On top of it by signing said contracts you as employee are held liable for all of your incurred reimbursed education expenses if you decided to leave that job for another one.

I know a lot of people and when I mean a lot... I mean hundreds and hundreds and hundreds that I have met over past 15 years. Vast majority of engineer types I know came from financially well off families who paid for their education. Vast majority of doctor types I know came from families with both parents being financially well off doctors. Vast majority of lawyers I know came from families where parents were either lawyers or successful politicians. Finding a true success story from rags to riches is almost unfathomable although it does happen. I also know a lot of successful people who landed that dream job only to have it short lived. One guy I know got a cash bug after speaking to another guy in his career field and so he gathered up his courage and went to his boss asking for a "calibrated" pay and needless to say he still earns the same because every employer pays what they think is fair. Others I know got those crazy gas/oil jobs that pay huge money only to work you to death 12-16 hour work days 7 days per week and on top of it work as a contractor having no job consistency.

In reality most people earn what market wants to pay for it. You start at bottom and work your way to the top. Average median salary in USA for college grads is still $45,000 and that alone tells you something.

Here is cold hard truth.

Average college loan payment for college grads is $450/mo
Average 401k contribution for most younger americans is $6% of salary.
Average federal + state tax + contributions adds up to 23% of salary.
Average health care (50% paid by employer) costs $120/mo for single man non smoker.

So let's tally it for a person making $50,000

6% for 401k=$3,000
23% for deductions=$11,500

$50,000-3,000-11,500-(450*12)-(120*12)=50,000-3,000-11,500-5,400-1,440=$28,660

Average rent + bills is $1,200/mo

$28,660-(1,200*12)=$14,260

Average car payment + car insurance is $450/mo (unless you drive a clunker that you got at junkyard)

$14,260-(450*12)=$8,860

Average grocery bill is $200/mo

$8,860-(200*12)=$6,460

Average yearly gas spending is $1,600

$6,460-1,600=$4,860

In other words for a typical college graduate with typical bills and a car and rent to pay he has a disposable income of ~$400/mo that could be used for living expenses.

Unfortunately your first few years will be most difficult because when you get a place of your own you need a bed, a chair, clothes etc etc. It gets a heck of a lot better after 5 years.

Assuming you are a stellar employee experiencing 3.75% earning growth you can expect to start making $60k but again for any of that to happen you would have to get means to get education, get educated, get a job, retain that job etc etc. After 15 years of employment having paid your last college bill... it will get a heck of a lot better... except that by that point you will have a 10 year old soon to go to college who will want his/her college paid for not to mention costs associated with raising children in the first place. Life is quite unfair most of the time and we all try to make best of it. Cost of education doubles every decade so at rate we are going our children might as well give up while they are ahead.

But then again I am often called a pessimist.

 

^^ I can't imagine why you'd be called a pessimist

 

Ok, i get it,you think im just a boy who thinks he can get a job slap dead out of college, i'll find a place for cheap, i already have my truck that my dad bought me, so no bills in that department, yet(insurance will be transferred), the gas is pretty right on for me surprisingly, and i've haven't got a clue how much it takes to fill me up for a month so idk about that figure there but i do know this, you get in what you get out, if you bust your ass you'll see good things.

I understand that the majority of people(at least the ones that ive met while in college for this 1 semester pretty much has moneybags, mom and dad got the tab. Im not speaking bad on them, they just dont have as much stress as me when it comes to the financial part of it, and from what i've seen it shows. They dont work as hard, they really are just partying and trying to get by, they dont care about their education and as a result their parents are kicking the tab so they arent worried.

I on the other hand am fourtunate, but not wiping my ass with dollar bills, my dad bought my truck, and paid a small portion of my tuition last semester, i cannot allow him to continue to stress his financials because it just doesnt feel right. Im 18 yo, i should start making big boy decisions and take my future into my own hands. I've seen people who are smart as all heck, but their family cannot afford to pay for them to go to college, i decided i would take a risk, to go into a major thats in high demand, learn it whether i like it or not, and upon graduation plan my next action.

Living life isnt cheap, ive seen it firsthand just from living on college. Food is high, furniture is high(planning for apartment life potentially) I see that i will need an ass of money to afford to even live in a comfortable manner.

I believe you when you say the first 4-6 years of college life afterwards will be quite the struggle but im prepared to do whatever i have to do to keep the debt to a minimum and keep me and my parents stress level to a minimum.

Tbh, i feel like technical jobs are worth more in their weight than the media lets on. You will ALWAYS need a plumber,electrician,carpenter,HVAC tech ect

For me, my career path was pretty much determined from 11th grade, i've read the horrible acts that happened to our country(homeless,crime,corruption) and others(bombing,extortion by other governments[including from our country]) and i made the decision that i wanted to make some sort of change in the world, i dont want to fix someone's toilet, fix some type of electrical problem nor fix someone's air conditioner, I want to go out in the line of fire and save those people out there who are just on the wrong end of the stick and fight those who rob others of their life,possessions, and whatever else. I want to make a small mark, even if it is insignificant in the big picture of my state,country,continent,world,universe. I want to help someone change their life around for the better and get the bastard(s) who did it behind bars or 6 feet under.

If i have to go into debt, join the military, work my ass off as a rookie agent and eventually get out of debt thats what i will do. I cannot afford to fail man.

That is what i think about what you said, I enjoy your responses they help me to think about things i haven't thought about.

Thats what im saying...

 

Keep the same mindset you have now and you will do fine. I hated the burden of my parents paying for college after my sisters blew over 300k for theirs so I went to a cheaper school and worked a 40hour job to pay for school. Now I am 2 years out of college, relatively debt free and am making enough money to let me live well with stock that I can almost buy a house with.

Just remember everything is only what you make of it.

 

of if he's:

married,
has a legal dependent other than a spouse
is 24 or older
is a graduate or professional student
was declared homeless while in hs
or is determined to be independent by the financial aid office at his school

 

Thanks, i knew stories like what i listed happened more often then not.

I'll do that. Thanks man.

 

That's fishy..

I thought if you weren't on their taxes (them not providing half of your support) you were clear as an adult. I always had the option to do that, but my parents elected to keep me as a dependent on their taxes.