How did you survive college

[hanzomon4]

Going to art school is the best thing I've ever done but at 40,000 a year + rent + misc bills I'm constantly struggling. I'm a hard worker but I haven't been able to find work. I've filled out over 50 applications and still nothing. To survive I've been leaning on family, "donating" plasma, going to food banks, shopping at Aldi grocery store(a discount grocery store), going to gallery openings and house parties for the free food.... etc

For those of you who've been there or are there now, how did you survive?

[sports fan Matt]

This is exactly why im moving to Dallas/Ft Worth..Cant afford Chicago anymore..Its one of the most expensive cities to live in, at least in the US

Im there now--trying to get things ready for my new place-while trying to do roughly 14 hour days stressing about moving 1,000 miles and then setting things up in my new place..Leaning on family is important, so yes I know where you are..im there pretty much myself.

[Giant Speck]

I didn't go to college. I joined the military instead. :)

[Kingsley]

Join the military for a few years or go to a cheaper state school. Are there any scholarships you can apply for?

[sgosnell]

I borrowed money from a bank, no student loans back then, and I worked at several jobs, including skinning rats, driving a truck, and a few more. You have to be a little creative in looking for jobs, and not be too squeamish about what you do.

[Paqman]

I worked at several jobs, including skinning rats

I'm intrigued by this, but also a little afraid to find out. Which bits did you keep: skin or meat? And who uses it?

I joined the military too, but i've found that not having the qualifications is going to put a ceiling on my career. So i've started a degree in my spare time.

[mxboy15u]

I am piecing my way through it while working full time. My wife finished her degree with only 3k in student loans. There are very cheap schools out there, you just need to do your research.

Also, balance potential earning vs. debt. Is the debt load you are taking on at art school going to be managable with the art careers out there? If you cannot live after this degree then it is not worth pursuing imo.

[crl0901]

College loans, grants and part time jobs. I didn't make much at my part time jobs, and I was old enough that I could file my taxes independently, so I got a good amount of grants from the government. I know loans are not the best way to go, financially speaking, but it's the only option I had. I paid for almost everything (my parents paid my health insurance and my cell phone bill for most of my college career). In the end, I've got a good job and I'll be able to pay back those loans. I can also say that I put myself through college, which is a source of pride for me.

[lakersforce]

God bless Denmark, where college is paid for by tax-payer money and the government actually pays you for going to college!

[Icehuck]

Going to art school is the best thing I've ever done but at 40,000 a year + rent + misc bills I'm constantly struggling. I'm a hard worker but I haven't been able to find work. I've filled out over 50 applications and still nothing. To survive I've been leaning on family, "donating" plasma, going to food banks, shopping at Aldi grocery store(a discount grocery store), going to gallery openings and house parties for the free food.... etc

For those of you who've been there or are there now, how did you survive?

Going to Columbia? It's expensive and you are most likely living downtown. I got through it by having room mates and eating ramen noodles. I worked on campus to get myself some money. I would look into the possibility of moving to the burbs(cheaper rent) and taking the train. Oh and apply for as many loans and grants as possible. The loans don't hurt you as they actually help out your credit score.

[Orlsend]

Ill be starting college this College this August, Ill be a International student. Sadly the US government forbids me to work. Thankfully I was legible for a 8.4k student grant.

Any money saving tips?

[aysiu]

Cultural translation for the non-Americans out there:

College is what we call university here. We generally don't say "I'm going to university next year" even if the school we are attending is a university. We say "I'm going to college," and college is a generic term for pretty much any post-secondary school you can earn a bachelor's degree at.

And in America, most colleges are private schools that have insane per-year tuitions of $40,000 or so (it was about $20,000 in the early 80s and $30,000 in the mid-90s).

Some public colleges (what we call "state schools") are significantly cheaper but still expensive ($8,000 a year). Most art schools are not public colleges but private schools, and tuition does not typically include art supplies.

[RiceMonster]

I'm still in college, and I'm on a work term with a bank right now. I got this job through the school, and it's a great company to work for and pays well. Keep looking for work. A lot of my friends who aren't in co-op programs are having trouble finding jobs right now because of the way things are.

[hanzomon4]

Going to Columbia? It's expensive and you are most likely living downtown. I got through it by having room mates and eating ramen noodles. I worked on campus to get myself some money. I would look into the possibility of moving to the burbs(cheaper rent) and taking the train. Oh and apply for as many loans and grants as possible. The loans don't hurt you as they actually help out your credit score.

No not Columbia, SAIC.. I learned my lesson during my first semester about living downtown. I live farther north, edgewater... bryn mawr stop in a small studio. It's a great deal too 595 all utilities included. With all of my aid/scholarships I pay about 5 to 6k out of pocket for tuition. But that doesn't include supplies which can bite at the worse possible times. I should be starting a job with the school during the summer term; I had applied during the spring but it's a small school and work is not guaranteed. I actually was even offered a job but the school had to pull the offer because they couldn't offered to pay me.

I know some are saying go to a cheaper school but for the education I'm looking for SAIC is really the only option. I'm not down with going to school just for a degree, or not going to a school because I'm poor. I know I can make it, I just don't know how and times like these makes the whole dance seem rather absurd.

[Tristam Green]

Years one-two: Stayed at home, worked, went to school full-time, used a full-ride scholarship from the state of Georgia.
Years three-four: Stayed at home, worked, went to school part-time, used full-ride scholarship.
Years five-six: Attempted to move out, came back home, got another job, worked PT, school FT, student loan, transferred to a different school.
Year seven: Work full-time, School full-time, stay at home, save money, pay back student loan, graduate.

Note the trend.

[hanzomon4]

Years one-two: Stayed at home, worked, went to school full-time, used a full-ride scholarship from the state of Georgia.
Years three-four: Stayed at home, worked, went to school part-time, used full-ride scholarship.
Years five-six: Attempted to move out, came back home, got another job, worked PT, school FT, student loan, transferred to a different school.
Year seven: Work full-time, School full-time, stay at home, save money, pay back student loan, graduate.

Note the trend.

Word

[drawkcab]

I worked hard in high school for a scholarship at a little private school in an inexpensive part of America. My parents paid my rent which was always cheap (never more than $150) because, after the first year, I lived off campus with room mates. I worked during the summer and part-time during the year to make money for food and beer.

I worked hard in college to earn fellowships and assistantships in graduate school so that they waived my tuition and actually paid me to earn an advanced degree.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that a month or two spent working through a $20 Princeton Review guide to the ACT, SAT, GRE or LSAT can really, really pay off. I will be finishing my Ph.D. this next year with zero loans, zero debt.

[pluviosity]

I am graduating from college at Cornell in a little over a week. I want to add that many expensive private schools do need-based financial aid instead of merit-based aid. So as long as you watch what you spend, get a student job, work summers, etc., you can survive.

[MN Noob]

I always tell people to find an internship. It will pay 99% of the time better than any job you will find while in school. Not to mention you will have an easy-in to the business once you graduate.

[diwas]

I am trying for this Fall in US as International Student.
I have to pay around $3600 per year including living and board, international fees, books, blah blah blah.
Is it good?

But I am tryin for Southeastern Louisiana University. Any information (good or bad, both welcomed) about this college?

[lisati]

God bless Denmark, where college is paid for by tax-payer money and the government actually pays you for going to college!

I too was blessed by the government (New Zealand, in my case) with what was called a "B Busary". This covered nearly all of my expenses for the two years I survived before dropping out, but only just.

Things have changed in the intervening 30 years (I'm beginning to feel old!) and these days I'd probably end up with a massive student loan and little show of paying it back.

(If you're wondering about the dropping out bit, I didn't click with a couple of the courses I was expected to take, and this resulted in a letter which said something about "insufficient academic progress")

[hanzomon4]

That's my first time hearing of Southeastern Louisiana University(I'm from Louisiana). Is that the same as Southern?

[gnomeuser]

College in Denmark is paid for by taxes, you do have to pay for supplies and a few other things but aside that classes are free.

It grants equal access based on merit, it doesn't really matter if you come from a financially secure background or not. All that matters is the amount of seats available and what your grades are.

I happened to not survive college regardless for health reasons, but aside that the money woes being removed really makes things easier.

[michaelzap]

Lots of loans, multiple jobs, and I was a paid guinea pig for quite a few medical experiments.

[burvowski]

The best way to survive the high costs of college is to know what you're getting into before you decide on where you go.

[mamamia88]

Going to art school is the best thing I've ever done but at 40,000 a year + rent + misc bills I'm constantly struggling. I'm a hard worker but I haven't been able to find work. I've filled out over 50 applications and still nothing. To survive I've been leaning on family, "donating" plasma, going to food banks, shopping at Aldi grocery store(a discount grocery store), going to gallery openings and house parties for the free food.... etc

For those of you who've been there or are there now, how did you survive?

going to campus 30 minutes from home. lucky to have scholarship because my dad was a vet

[coldReactive]

I didn't survive college, it just got too stressful and junk, so I quit.

[diwas]

That's my first time hearing of Southeastern Louisiana University(I'm from Louisiana). Is that the same as Southern?
LOL...it means that this college isn't good. :(
Anyways, the link is http://www.selu.edu/

[hobo14]

God bless Denmark, where college is paid for by tax-payer money and the government actually pays you for going to college!

Australia is no longer that good, but we don't have to pay our tuition until we graduate and have jobs.

Student allowance from the government is measly, but I've supplemented mine by marrying, and then divorcing(unplanned) a woman with a big bank account ;)

[sgosnell]

What was saved was the skin and the skeleton. I worked for the biology department, preparing specimens for study. After some practice, I could skin and stuff one in about 2 minutes. There are often somewhat obscure jobs around universities that don't pay very well and aren't that pleasant, thus available. I found out about mine from a lab instructor. You have to network to be successful, and you never know where a lead might come from.

[Rackstar]

Still one thing that is good in Belgium. It's mostly payed by taxes, only costs around 400 euros for one year. But I still got me a job in programming, because one little tiny room in university town costs 300+ € a month.

BTW: pretty amazed that you have Aldi in Chicago!