A Friendly Warning by Erik

A Friendly Warning by Erik - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

Having attained my undergrad and now being in the pursuit of a masters, there is a laundry list of things I might advise a younger student on their path towards higher education. Considering everything, however, paying for school comes to mind as top priority. School finances have, in my experience, proven to be the biggest factors in determining a student’s overall college success.
While the easiest and most common way to pay for school comes in the form of student loans, loans should be an aspiring student’s last option. The amount of student debt in the United States is incomparable to years past forcing many college graduates with the task not only of finding a job, but the task of finding a job in order to pay off student debt. Instead of paying off student loans with hard earned money and education, a recent graduate ought to enjoy the fruits of their labor and focus on things like buying a house or starting a family. Although student loans can be a great option for those in need, they can also be an uphill climb to pay off.
Take my very own example as proof. I received a partial soccer scholarship for my undergrad that increased each year yet I still accrued a fair amount of debt in loans. Now, in pursuit of a master’s degree I refuse to take another loan. My first year as a grad student I worked two jobs and went to school full time losing lots of sleep and spending very little time with family and friends. I illustrate this example of my first year in grad school to show how important avoiding student debt is. To put it simply, what you borrow is not what you pay back, and even if you are on top of interest as you attend school, the sacrifice of student debt is unnecessary with the right steps. Instead of taking out student loans I propose applying for scholarships and attending community college before transferring to a four-year university.
The time old message about scholarships has been said countless times and in a variety of ways, but I will say it again. Each year there are millions of dollars offered in scholarships and much of that money goes unclaimed. Besides the abundance of money out there, the money offered ranges from reasons like being tall to being an only child. There are scholarships for just about anything you can think of and while many scholarships require students to write an essay or complete a project, some scholarships require nothing but an application.
Besides scholarships, attending community college is another great way to avoid student debt while still making progress towards a degree. The cost of a unit at a community college is a fraction of the cost at a four-year university and counts the same. Instead of paying top dollar for a general education that comes with any degree a community college not only helps a student save money but it also allows for students to find an academic passion without the financial or institutional pressure a four year-university places on a student.
In conclusion, explore all possible options before taking out student loans, and if you have to take out student loans, keep them minimal and stay on top of the interest. College is supposed to be an enjoyable experience and produce a positive impact on a student’s life but too often it seems students graduate with mixed emotions about having attended college. I have both seen and felt the regret and concern about having to pay off student debt so take it from authority of experience and start exploring your options now.