Long time ago so I was able to work part time and pay as I went (at a Cal State), plus I lived at home with my parents. But the weird part was I had an economics prof who was not a lot older than me that said he did the same thing, but a semester's tuition and books was less than a C-Note.
[–] ConceptualMan [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
Yeah, i heard from someone who went to college in the 80s and they said they were able to work part time for pizza hut and pay, with left over spending money. That still seems crazy to me.
The prof had a good story about utility. He had gone to an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet as a starving student and reported the first couple of slices had a lot of utility. By the eighth slice utility was a lot closer to zero. By the twelfth slice utility went negative since he threw it all up at that point.
[–] 10419523? 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
That was before government was so involved in paying for it and drove prices up so high.. And notice people lived at home with their parents. Most kids today see it as a rite of passage to live on campus. That easily doubles the cost of attendance, not even counting the travel and such required and the fact that it becomes really hard to get even a part time job if they know you will be going home in 4 months.
[–] KatiePorpoise 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Academic scholarships and working 3 jobs.
[–] ArchibaldLacey 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
You can get a college degree for roughly 5k if you apply to one of the big 3, and get the majority of your college credits through CLEP/DSST (formerly known as Dantes). You purchase the test for like 85?, sign up at a local school that allows you to take them, and end up taking an hour test. If you pass, you get the credit. The tests are not that difficult. With the big 3, they will take like 95+% credit from CLEP/DSST.
On top of that, I think you can take FEMA tests for free, and some schools will creatively include those credits into your major.
The big 3 are like: Thomas Edison State University, Excelsior College, and Charter Oaks State College. I know Excelsior tends to be more expensive than the other 2 at like $10k. Regardless, it's the easiest way to get a degree. You can get it in less than a year, and apparently there is some people that have gotten it in a month. If you don't like the bias at schools today, and a degree is just a degree to you, then i'd recommend this method of getting your degree for ease and expense.
Edit: And Dantes/DSST was formerly a test offered to those in the military. I think if you're in the military, you get X amount per year for school studies that you could use on this testing; then after your 4 years of service, you can give the military education to someone else in your family.
[–] ConceptualMan [S] ago
Thank you for the info. I did receive the FEMA certs that I could as I'm extremely interested in emergency management. I did not know about the test out options!
[–] ilikeskittles 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Worked full time, went to school at night.
[–] daskapitalist 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
For yourself: apply to a college, file a FAFSA, DO NOT MAJOR IN ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF STEM, and work through college. You'll have some loans, but it eont be terrible.
[–] Wargasm 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
MGI bill.
Anyone of sound mind and body and being less than 24 years old can get a subsidised college education, courtesy of Uncle Sam, provided that they enlist for no fewer than 3 years.
If you are dirt poor, like I was (litteral dirt floor), and you think you can hack it, go to a recruiter's office and tell them that you want a 3 year hitch in the Navy as an electrician.
While you are in bootcamp, SIGN UP FOR THE GOD DAMNED MGIB.
When you get through A-school GET IN THE JOURNEYMAN PROGRAM. This will give you the ability to be an electrician in the real world when you get out.
Do your 3 years, save up your money, and stay the fuck out of trouble. Yes, sometimes it can suck. Yes, some people will offer you drugs and you'll want to quit sometimes. Suck it up and finish. It'll be worth it.
You need an HONORABLE discharge to get full benefits.
Assuming you take this advice you should be quite set up for college. I hear the post 911 MGIB pays for FULL tuition to any college in the US.
TLDR: Enlist as an electrician in the Navy. Sign up for MGIB in bootcamp. Do journeyman program. Save money. Win.
[–] ConceptualMan [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
I tried and got in the top rankings on the ASVAB but was denied due to a medical condition. But I agree, this is the way to go if possible!
[–] Wargasm 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
There's always a waiver.
If you can find a doctor shady enough you can get a waiver for anything.
Or you can lie. I lied and said I was 18 when I was 17 because I needed to get the hell out. I knew lots of guys who lied about being straight to get in and a few that had asthma.
The thing about the military is winning; do whatever it takes to win. If you get in, no one will give a shit so long as you can you pull your own weight.
[–] lord_nougat 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
I paid using American currency I obtained by doing tasks for various companies.
[–] [deleted] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
[–] individualin1984 ago
Mine was back in the late 80's early 90s. So it was worked 30+ hours from age 16 through college. Took a year off after high school worked full time then joined the reserves. Reserve GI bill + 30 hours per week while in school. Full time during summer. Filled in remaining with small loans. Was activated for first gulf war saved hazardous duty pay. Then I got into an engineering job last year and worked full time and finished up last year part time over 2 years. Paid off the remainder of loans soon after college.