You probably read the title of this and responded with a "well, duh." but it's so true. If you are planning to go away to college then you are planning to blow some major cash.
I was originally going to commute to a closer school my first year to save some money because that is what my parents wanted me to do. They thought it would be in my best interest and it would save a lot of money. But my heart was set on going away to school. So I begged, I pleaded, there were in fact tears, I contemplated making a power point of the reasons I should go, but in the end I managed to convince them and I am now attending the college I wanted to.
But because of that I am spending about $17,000 more. That's a a lot of money. But I think it'll be worth it.
I thought from the beginning that I was going to pay for the majority of my college, which I still am. I see my friends that are getting their colleges paid for by their parents and they are truly lucky. I would love for my parents to pay for my college, but I feel like I will benefit more in the long run than those who are getting their colleges paid for. You can disagree if you'd like, but I feel like I will have more initiative to try harder.
Now im not saying I'm paying for all of my college all by myself. My parents said that I will get $6000 from them every undergrad year and my grandparents will give me $2500 each semester my freshman year, if I maintain good grades, and I will get $2000 from my other grandmother, I won about $2000 in scholarships and made about $2300 from my grad party. I am also working this summer at a job I absolutely HATE and will make about $1500. So I am definitely getting help.
But all of that is going to a hefty bill of around $68000. That's not including graduate school either. So every penny I make working goes directly into paying off college. That means for the next 6 years I will be B-R-O-K-E.
I want to get out of college being able to payoff my debt so I will not see a penny of that money. Which sucks, sure, but in the long run I'll appreciate it.
We'll see how all of that goes. Better believe I will be hitting up every free thing possible.
