this is the amount of money i borrowed to earn my degrees: $114, 005.43
and according to salliemae, I’ll pay back this much: $223, 119.73
i have a b.a. in english that it took me 7 years to get b/c i was a dumb kid with my head up my ass for awhile, and i finished at a small private school. i have an m.a. in english that–though my tuition was free since i was a gta–i had to borrow money to complete b/c i only made $600/month for my teaching. and i have a teaching credential that cost me roughly $36k in private loans, which repay at a higher interest rate. why did i get provate loans you ask? i had to. i had exhausted my loan eligibility for federal funds.
so june 28th, 2008 i start paying back these loans to the tune of $845 a month. A MONTH. i owe this much money because fining the job i love took me a long long time. and now i have it, and it will financially cripple me.
viva la american dream.
First, total commiseration time: Shannon-those are sobering statistics. It’s so insane that it costs so much to get an education in this country. It seems very unfair that you have to pay more than some people’s rent to have a job you love.
OK, pep talk time: As hard as I know it is, sign your loan payment check with love each time. It will help you not re-anger yourself over the same thing every month. At least you can take comfort in the fact that the job you have gives you the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives every day. Not everyone can say that. I am sending vibes of abundance your way!
By: Jamie on May 5, 2008
at 9:19 am