Anyone screwed over with student loans?

[Beavatuct]

Im taking a loan out for approx 50k for art school in january (3d animation). This covers tuition and living expenses for the 1 year intensive course. Its a really good school apparently - but im still nervous about the year ending, being 25 years old, jobless and my life being screwed from debt.

Everyone is encouraging me saying its an investment in my future, but im still nervous about it.
Anyone had any experiences, or words of wisdom?

 

[Sakunyuusha]

No, but $50,000 for only one year is an awful lot. I'm taking out that much each year for medical school. So unless this is the art school to end all art schools, I'd strongly advise you to reconsider.

 

[techie]

Geeeeez...
Move to Sweden and become a brain surgeon instead.
That sounds like a better investment for $50k USD.

Roughly speaking, $50k USd would probably last you a cool 5 years fees and books in Scandinavian countries, unless they changed everything completely now.

Or... $50 k could start you a good business, hire some decent grad student and get to work, sell your work, then let your company pay off the studies in the future.

IMHO, nothing can be that good that you should pay 50k for one year!

P.S / my student debts after three years... (way back when) sum total $2500 USD.

 

[Sakunyuusha]

If you don't plan on returning to America and can work out the legal logistics, techie's idea actually sounds pretty savvy. o_o

The problem enters in if you ever intend to return to America. Most employment opportunities requiring doctorates require an American one. Case in point, I know two Jordanian doctors who came to America together and were told that they'd have to go to medical school in America for all 4 years before they could take the licensing test and then would have to go through residency before they could be full doctors. Which is a little absurd considering that they already went to school back home and were practicing physicians in good standing for several years. They decided to come to America to provide a better life for their kids: that's all.

So if I wanted to practice medicine in Norway, then techie's advice is pretty solid and I should jump on it. But if I don't? Then I have to stay put even if it is financial r***.

There's one more catch to techie's plan, and that's repayment of the loan. Even if things are cheaper in Scandinavia, that also would suggest that it could be harder to pay off your loans. Because if 50,000 USD is really that powerful in Scandinavia, then just think how hard -- even impossible -- it would be for you to work a job there and earn the money necessary to pay the monthly bill your bank would undoubtedly wire to you somehow.

techie's plan seems most golden if:
1) you're willing to live in a country like the ones in Scandinavia, and
2) you already have the money and aren't acquiring it via bank or Federal loans

 

[techie]

Actually I have to tell you one serious thing about education in the US vs. Sweden.

Swedish nurses get instant employment in the US becaus they have higher edu. to begin with and most have ER /Crash surgery experience when they graduate.

A Swedish nurse can get employed by a simple test and language proof.

An American nurse in Sweden have to retake the whole three year study course and exams not to mention the language.

In other words a nurse in the US would be ranked as the lowest grade nurse in Sweden but not vic versa.

Even so, if you do require special progams, the special ed. stuff is a lot less tough to get through once you have your initial degreee, plus most universities in Scandinavia ranks pretty high vs. the US ones still.

After all, Sweden sold much of the technology to the US military for a good reason (^^)
(See ground penetrating radar to mention one, or stealth boats to mention another.)

See if you cant get the same courses at Chalmers tech in Gothenburg or the Royal Technical Academy in Stockholm.

Thirdly, check out Stockholm University.
It used to have one of the largest campus held computer systems and has a student base of around 35-40 k students (old figures probably but still huge).

For med school there is only one alternative really.
The Karolinska Institute ( A hospital based research centre)
They have exchanges all over the world.
(They have a lot of exchange with Japan too!) (ha, squeezed in a JP connection here too :full


They do English based courses as well.

As far as the repayment goes, International work suits Swedish education well, and many Swedish work for international companies.
The salaries in the same field dont differ that much, which gives Swedish educated locals better grounds (If they could only learn to value the chance they have to get one to begin with )

The big problem is that far to many people in Sweden (which is what I know best) are not apt or dont feel like reading further anymore.
Gosh, just last week in the news they talked about Senior high school students dropping out at a rate of 40% now.
Education is not bad, just the students seem to have a tougher time picking up on it.