I hate debt.
And I hate feeling like my Master's degree was a waste because it left me with a hefty amount of debt (about the same as a really fancy car), but no high paying job to pay down the debt quickly or justify such a lofty education. I fumbled through 9 months of unemployment & my now steady paychecks are quickly eaten by said debt. I can write "MA" next to my name. Whoopdee-freakin-doo. If I hadn't gone for my Master's, I could be debt-free right now. My paychecks wouldn't look so small at the end of the day.
Was it worth it? Maybe eventually it will be. I pray-hope-BEG it will be worth it. I like money. And I like having it, not losing it.
In today's rough & tumble economy, do you think higher education is worth the expense?
*Sigh*
"Life is short, eat dessert first."
6 comments:
I WANT to say that it's going to be worth it financially...particularly since I'm in the same boat as you are. :) At the very least, I do think it's something that can be used to our advantage/as a bargaining tool for salary, etc...particularly once the economy picks up again.
Of course, there are non-financial benefits too! Knowledge = power, personal satisfaction, opportunities to mentor other young ladies (and gents) based on our experiences, etc. Hahahah.... I always refer back to my program like a scar of war - ie. 'if I survived through/found a way to pay for that, surely I can do X,Y,Z' :)
Hang tight Chicky! You're going to do great things, and remember... everyone's poor when they're young! :)
Con mucho amor,
-- linds
I usually don't comment on our blogs, but I must this time.
You lower-than-expected-for-your-degree salary is the result of your lack of experience and the small town with limited opportunities you live in. YES, your graduate degree will be worthwhile in the not-too-distant future, especially if you and Steve seek opportunity elsewhere. It may be appropriate at this time to remind you that Mom and I gave up about 100K worth of income when we moved to MT in 1993! Hang in there Chicky! Love always, Papa
Hang in their Chicky. You may even have this job because you worked for that Masters Degree, it might have put you over the top of others.
In time it will pay off, you would have always wanted to go back to school and get it, so it is better now than later.
Thanks everyone for the "get your chin up, kid." It really does help to hear others empathize & to know I'm not alone. From all I've read or listened to (thank you NPR), it's typical for my generation to exclaim: "I want it now! I want the big income NOW! I want the elite status job NOW! I want the good life NOW!" Growing up, we were told we could achieve anything we wanted to, and damnit, we BELIEVE it! Not that there's anything wrong with it, & God bless our parents for giving us such love/push/determination/ambition, but we need to learn patience. To know that at age 26, it's HIGHLY unlikely to be completely debt free (especially if you choose higher education) & working as CEO of a top-ranked, worldwide corporation. Possible, but highly unlikely for the average twenty-something.
The subject is well-debated (again, thanks to NPR) - is higher education worth it nowadays? It's a question we can't answer quite yet. Our economy is still struggling & yet to completely recover. Maybe, hopefully, these higher education degrees pay themselves back 100X over. At the same time, it's important to remember the degrees should be providing not just monetary return, but higher self-satisfaction & a better understanding of the world.
In the meantime, I bow down to you, Dept of Education, Citi Financial, & Great Lakes. Can we barter? Maybe some chicken eggs for reduced loans?
Eh, it was worth a shot. ;)
I agree and feel the same way. One of my friends on Facebook posted this today: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/CutCollegeCosts/no-one-needs-you-class-of-2010.aspx?gt1=33006
It will be worth it. Eventually. And I couldn't agree more completely with what Linds said regarding the non-financial benefits of additional education. So eloquently stated.
I, for one, don't have an advanced degree, but my husband does and for us, the benefits are startlingly clear. We're a few years ahead of you so we've had a bit more time for the positives to become apparent although I, too, grimace every time I pay that student loan check. Someday, it will be gone! :)
The fact that you were able to find a job in a bum economy is testament to your work ethic and education. Not a piddling accomplishment!
I like the trade-for-eggs idea. At $4/dozen maybe they'd be interested in a very looong term loan.
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