Who is student debt free?

[gonegolfin]

BS in '90. MS in '92. Both Computer Science.

No debt in undergraduate years (scholarships and parents' funding).
Graduate school and living costs funded by scholarships. No debt.

Entered the field of commercial software in May '92.

I carry absolutely no debt today.

Brian

 

[Danke]

I carry absolutely no debt today.

I carry debt in my wallet wherever I go.

 

[jkr]

im 120k in...be nice to land a good job soon.

 

[WaltM]

im 120k in...be nice to land a good job soon.

what did u study?

do you have a graduate school degree?

 

[WaltM]

I carry debt in my wallet wherever I go.

no you don't, you don't even recognize contracts, why do you recognize the "debt" you carry in your pocket?

 

[Icymudpuppy]

I graduated in 1999. I paid off my debt in 2001.

 

[WaltM]

I graduated in 1999. I paid off my debt in 2001.

what did u study and how much did you owe?

 

[YumYum]

if money were not an issue?

or what am I considering to study for job purposes?

Both.

 

[WaltM]

Both.

if money were not an issue, I'd go to school just as I go on vacation, to do what I enjoy.

I'd study philosophy, history, maybe politics, some math, some science.

But for job purposes, I'd consider nursing, or law (thinking about corporate law, patent, copyright).

 

[Icymudpuppy]

what did u study and how much did you owe?

Wildlife Biology, I worked part time during the school year, and full time in the summers. I accumulated $12,000 in private (mostly credit card) debt. I took no Federal loans. I enlisted with the Army during the Clinton administration (Spring 2000) and got a signing bonus of $12,000 minus taxes for a 5 year commitment. The Army paid me my bonus in a lump sum six months after I completed Advanced Individual Training in February 2001 and I paid off the remainder with my regular pay as an E-4 at the time. After completing my initial commitment + 8 months, I had been commissioned and promoted to 0-2, got out and started my own business in wildlife pest control and bought a house, but stayed in the Reserves for the extra $500/mo. I haven't had any debt except my Mortgage and business credit ever since. I paid off my startup business debt in May, this year, and I expect to have the mortgage paid off next year, around June 2011.

I still use several store credit accounts for the business with places like Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace, True Value, O'Reilly, etc, but they are paid off every month so accrue no interest.

 

[WaltM]

Wildlife Biology, I worked part time during the school year, and full time in the summers. I accumulated $12,000 in private (mostly credit card) debt. I took no Federal loans. I enlisted with the Army during the Clinton administration (Spring 2000) and got a signing bonus of $12,000 minus taxes for a 5 year commitment. The Army paid me my bonus in a lump sum six months after I completed Advanced Individual Training in February 2001 and I paid off the remainder with my regular pay as an E-4 at the time. After completing my initial commitment + 8 months, I had been commissioned and promoted to 0-2, got out and started my own business in wildlife pest control and bought a house, but stayed in the Reserves for the extra $500/mo. I haven't had any debt except my Mortgage and business credit ever since. I paid off my startup business debt in May, this year, and I expect to have the mortgage paid off next year, around June 2011.

I still use several store credit accounts for the business with places like Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace, True Value, O'Reilly, etc, but they are paid off every month so accrue no interest.

cool.

was your startup business in pest control?

 

[Icymudpuppy]

cool.

was your startup business in pest control?

I'm guessing you meant to ask what was my startup expenses?

I bought a franchise territory for $20,000, and equipment for a 1 man operation(including truck, traps, special gear, uniforms, forms, advertising cards and brochures, etc) cost about another $30,000. I now have 7 vehicles, 5 employees, and equipment to keep all of them going which is about 4 times the amount I had upon initial start up.

 

[WaltM]

I'm guessing you meant to ask what was my startup expenses?

Only after I knew what industry it was.

I bought a franchise territory for $20,000, and equipment for a 1 man operation(including truck, traps, special gear, uniforms, forms, advertising cards and brochures, etc) cost about another $30,000. I now have 7 vehicles, 5 employees, and equipment to keep all of them going which is about 4 times the amount I had upon initial start up.

cool.

 

[jsu718]

My entire undergrad degree was less than $15k and it hasn't even been a decade since then. Graduated with no debt. Just finished my masters degree also with no debt. It's easier when you actually look at the cost of the school and choose one that is cheaper. Rarely does the name of a private school before the degree get you a better job, but since I am unemployed with a masters degree I could be wrong.

 

[Isaac Bickerstaff]

I paid off all my debt in 1999.
Dropped out of college in 2000.
Best decision I ever made.

 

[Disconsolate]

I'm about to graduate with zero debt .

 

[Seraphim]

I paid off all my debt in 1999.
Dropped out of college in 2000.
Best decision I ever made.

Similar account. I was 25K in debt with 1/3 of my degree done. I stopped: debt is almost paid off. Now I may return, but we'll see: circumstance will influence if I do or not. The company I work for has scholarship programs if your program is related to what you will/want to do in the business. But I left because I needed to step back. Definately a good decision for me as well.

 

[noxagol]

Never borrowed a cent, graduated with a two year degree.

 

[MelissaWV]

I graduated from HS in 1998, had two full scholarships to college (which means I was getting paid to go to school), and dropped out in 2000 having made a profit off of the experience to that point.

Despite (emergency and otherwise) medical bills, a daunting monthly amount needed for medication, various personal emergency expenditures (like having to move virtually overnight)... I remain debt-free. Instead, I'm still owed several thousand dollars by people

These days I proofread and edit, but am always looking for the next big thing to do. My resume contains a plethora of jobs, and I've had a pretty good time gaining that kind of experience. I don't intend to finish my degree. I might go to a transcription school at some point.

 

[gonegolfin]

I carry debt in my wallet wherever I go.

But it is not yours.

Brian