College planning is one of the most difficult things about college, at least it has been for me. My husband and I come from completely different college planning backgrounds, and mine seems to be the one that gives us the most trouble. Let's face it, filling out a FASFA is not the most fun any individual has ever had. I was lucky enough to have my mother do the dirty work for me. There wasn't much thought that went into college planning until I hit graduate school and realized just what I would be paying back. I had taken out more than I needed repeatedly just because the money in my had was fun to play with. At no point did 18 year old Emily ever think "Oh, I'll be paying this back majorly one day."
My hubby on the other hand has a totally different story. He wasn't encouraged to go to college at all by his family. After working for a few years he applied to a university and managed to get minimal loans and a Pell Grant. He was a much smarter planner than I ever was, even with my parents constantly telling me to not take out the money. Jeremy was smart and paid cash when he could and took out the smallest amount possible, because of that he only owes about half of what I owe back.
The mother's warning I never took heed to was the ever constant saying of "For every 10,000 you take out you can expect to pay back $100 per month." When planning realize this, if you marry someone who also has student loans you basically just doubled what you are paying. My little chunk wouldn't be so bad had I only attended undergraduate school. Instead I myself went for a Master's and my husband is working on a Specialist...the money adds up, and quick.
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