I'm going 2 college!

Anubis · Post by **Anubis** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:26 am

Hey everybody,

Long time, no post.

Any way I'm starting college in may 12th for the summer semester over at Salt Lake Community College where I'll be majoring in computer science before going off to a game design school. which means very little time and very little cash.

Tuish and fees go around $1,300 that's not counting the books and supplies and the $1,500 i need to buy a damn laptop. I'm suspecting a hit to the wallet the size about lets say $3,200 giving me $500 for books.

I Have a little over $2,000 in the bank. to make it worse I work minimum wage and to add to that it's part time. However there are things i can fall back on, sort of...

I have my $500 dollar scholarship with the city, and i can sell my brother my PS3 for $400 of course I'll push for more (I'm keeping my 360, as a hardcore gamer i cannot live without my xbox). Even that still leaves me about $300 short. Not to mention since i live with the fam so... Free room, board, high speed Internet and cable TV. And financial help from the parents but that's a well that i don't want to tap into unless absolutely necessary. In this case it'll warrant a little dip.

However this crisis could have been entirely avoided if wasn't so concerned to nurse my gaming and tech addictions. When i worked at wal-mart i got paid about $575 a check every two weeks (i wish i didn't have to leave!), but i only saved $200 and the rest i spent on video games and an expensive Tivo that i may add... barely works! Now i want to kick my own a** for my frivolous spending! The whole time i worked there i made enough money to pay for a whole year of schooling at SLCC and then some!

But i took this as a lesson learned and now a good majority is being saved leaving me very little just enough to pay for bus passes and to renew my subscription to xbox live.

Does any of our older members who been through college give me some advice financially or other wise?

Howlitzer · Post by **Howlitzer** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 5:24 am

Hey, off to college too?

I'm not an older member, but I'm going through a similar process right now. I myself am going to WPI this fall to start my Major in Electrical and Robotics Engineering.

Financially it's definitely more of a stretch.....over $48,000 per year. I've got financial aid covering a good chunk of that but it of course would leave me a bit short...

If you ask me you should look everywhere for small scholarships, local or not. They have them everywhere, you can probably get some to cover the remaining expenses. I've been applying for tons of them, and chances are with everybody that at least a couple will come through.

Apart from that, that job at Wall-Mart....if you have the time, if you get a job like that that you can still do part time...if you did that and didn't splurge on videogames until you had enough money saved up, you probably would be all set. However, unlike you I have summer vacation to work with, so I have a couple months to work my butt off and save up money.

And if all else fails...find a way to take out a loan, within reason though, and with your parent's help. You can't really put a price on a college education, especially if you're *that* close to having your expenses covered. Besides, if this allows you to get that education and then get a decent job, paying off the loan shouldn't be much of a problem after the fact.

Berserker · Post by **Berserker** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 6:23 am

Federal grants paid for 50% of my tuition, and state scholarships paid for the other 50%. What financial aid to you have access to?

I would get a credit card with a low interest rate. Credit cards are easy to handle and pay off if you have a part time job.

Figarou · Post by **Figarou** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:37 pm

heh....i don't think you'll like my idea.

Join the army and get the "G.I. bill"

http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/b ... tm#General

Silverclaw · Post by **Silverclaw** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:31 pm

Try to find your textbooks on the internet before you buy them from the school. They are always so ridiculously expensive.

So yeah, eBay, amazon.com, or some other used book place online first if you can

Shadow Wulf · Post by **Shadow Wulf** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:57 pm

Im graduating on June 5 from high school, Im gonna get a full time job to start saving up. One of the first things is upgrade my computer which Ive been wanting to do forever now (I'll make sure its under $500 budget). I'll save up the rest for college and even though my dad says I'll have my moms saturn which looks crappy but I think I would want something better and more stable, I'll probably sell the saturn and that money and some of the money I'll be saving to buy a more gas efficient car. I wont spend the money much on anything else. Im not even gonna get a cell phone until I actually begin going to college. Im going to a communitty college first , I have to check and see if they have anything for web design, then I will get transfered to a University.

Figarou wrote:heh....i don't think you'll like my idea.

Join the army and get the "G.I. bill"

http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/b ... tm#General

Thats actually one of my back up plans, sadly. And if all else fell I can always become a cop......god forbid.

outwarddoodles · Post by **outwarddoodles** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:31 pm

Oooh man.

I was actually wondering about you and Shadow a couple days ago, once I remembered you were two years older than me. (As I figure, I'm now in the same grade you were when you joined these forums.) I'm already stressed out over college! And I have it sooo easy. I'm receiving free tuition by the City's college, due to my Mother's job there.

I couldn't imagine trying to make myself out of your position. Not that you're dead-beat or anything, but financial stress coupled with acedemic stress is an explosive combination. Above all, I'd side along with getting a loan. College is the bast thing you can do with your future. I'd also recomend applying for any finacial aid you can get your paws on.

And goodluck!!

Silverclaw wrote:Try to find your textbooks on the internet before you buy them from the school. They are always so ridiculously expensive. So yeah, eBay, amazon.com, or some other used book place online first if you can

I've heard this too. Used books are A HELLA lot for cheaper than new. And heck, you might even already have your notes underlined for you, too!

And Shadow Wulf: You have WAY too much potential to settle!

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:59 pm

I start next semester too, but if I stay instate the state's lottery pays for it aka THE HOPE SCHOLROSHIP (hellz ya)

anyways doen't they have something like the hope in Florida?

Lukas · Post by **Lukas** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:09 pm

Fenrir wrote:I start next semester too, but if I stay instate the state's lottery pays for it aka THE HOPE SCHOLROSHIP (hellz ya)

anyways doen't they have something like the hope in Florida?

yes, its called the bright futures scholarship

PariahPoet · Post by **PariahPoet** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:32 pm

Sorry dude, no advice. I worked my way through college.

Black Claw · Post by **Black Claw** » Thu May 01, 2008 7:46 am

May the blessings of the Pack follow you all the rest of your life.

Kzinistzerg · Post by **Kzinistzerg** » Thu May 01, 2008 7:46 pm

Ooohh, know what you mean. I'm going to a local, but not-community college and my decision was made, almost entirely, by which college was cheapest overall for me. All I can say is, see if you can work more hours between now and the time you start and save every penny!

MattSullivan · Post by **MattSullivan** » Fri May 02, 2008 1:41 pm

is anyne going to college or into any career that ISN'T computer science and/or video game making? Seems like that's all that ANY american youth wants these days.

Engineering? science? Medicine? anything?

Shadow Wulf · Post by **Shadow Wulf** » Fri May 02, 2008 3:20 pm

MattSullivan wrote:is anyne going to college or into any career that ISN'T computer science and/or video game making? Seems like that's all that ANY american youth wants these days.

Engineering? science? Medicine? anything?

My friends are either being a teacher, cop, construction worker, musician sports player etc. I guess people who hang out on computers or internet a lot wants something that has to do with computer or games.

Lukas · Post by **Lukas** » Fri May 02, 2008 8:06 pm

MattSullivan wrote:is anyne going to college or into any career that ISN'T computer science and/or video game making? Seems like that's all that ANY american youth wants these days.

Engineering? science? Medicine? anything?

your in luck Matt, i plan to go with a major in pharmacy or Cardiology
also I don't usually rain on anyones parade, but isn't doing a job in videos game design risky? I mean developers only hire so many and you have to pay the bills while you wait to hired by any major paying company

outwarddoodles · Post by **outwarddoodles** » Sat May 03, 2008 7:31 am

MattSullivan wrote:is anyne going to college or into any career that ISN'T computer science and/or video game making? Seems like that's all that ANY american youth wants these days.

Engineering? science? Medicine? anything?

Psychology/Social Sciences.

I used to want to study anthropology and history, until I visited and spoke with several historians at various colleges, and figured out that, unless you get to study exactly what you want, it seems like a really, really sucky job....

Howlitzer · Post by **Howlitzer** » Sat May 03, 2008 7:47 am

MattSullivan wrote:is anyne going to college or into any career that ISN'T computer science and/or video game making? Seems like that's all that ANY american youth wants these days.

Engineering? science? Medicine? anything?

I already said....

I'm dual majoring in Robotics Engineering and Electrical Engineering....

possibly with numerous other courses (if not a minor) in music.

PariahPoet · Post by **PariahPoet** » Sat May 03, 2008 11:01 am

Yay for the Psychology people!

Doodles- Just don't make the same mistake I did. Make sure you have enough money for grad school. There is nothing you can do with just a bachelor's degree.

vrikasatma · Post by **vrikasatma** » Mon May 05, 2008 2:47 am

Turn away from the XBox, and look into the Wii. Word has it that it's the next technology.

Laptop for $1500? New or used? If new, that's not bad. I just priced a 15" MacBook Pro (2 Gigs of memory, 80-Gig HD and dual 1G Mhz cores) for $2000 at Best Buy. You can buy a killer used Powerbook G4 with 550 Mhz, 30-Gig hard drive and 1G of memory for about $750.

Advice? No answers here. I went to college back in the '80s, it's a whole new game now. And I have to admit, I was just as frivolous and irresponsible with my money back then, too, with less sense. I could have gone to culinary academy or architect's school, but I had to do the Don Quixote thing and goofed off in art school for four years

At least you're learning a marketable trade. I only learnt that there's a lot of idiots, sociopaths and drama llamas involved in the arts and leased a round-the-clock studio and storage space for less than renting one on my own.

Scott Gardener · Post by **Scott Gardener** » Wed May 07, 2008 12:22 pm

Congrats on going to get a higher education!

Though I do agree the tech fields are syphoning up a lot of brain power right now. It doesn't help that our culture is losing respect for other trade professions like electricians, plumbers, and auto mechanics. We snub our noses until something breaks down. Heck, we vastly underpay our firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs; anyone who's job description involves saving my hiney ought to be paid well.

MattSullivan · Post by **MattSullivan** » Wed May 07, 2008 12:37 pm

Don't buy a Wii. It was fun when it was new but the whimsy has worn off, and there are very few decent games for it. Even the latest Mario Kart release is a major disappointment, rehashing OLD tracks from previous games.

Anubis · Post by **Anubis** » Thu May 08, 2008 3:18 am

vrikasatma wrote:Turn away from the XBox, and look into the Wii. Word has it that it's the next technology.

Laptop for $1500? New or used? If new, that's not bad. I just priced a 15" MacBook Pro (2 Gigs of memory, 80-Gig HD and dual 1G Mhz cores) for $2000 at Best Buy. You can buy a killer used Powerbook G4 with 550 Mhz, 30-Gig hard drive and 1G of memory for about $750.

Advice? No answers here. I went to college back in the '80s, it's a whole new game now. And I have to admit, I was just as frivolous and irresponsible with my money back then, too, with less sense. I could have gone to culinary academy or architect's school, but I had to do the Don Quixote thing and goofed off in art school for four years

At least you're learning a marketable trade. I only learnt that there's a lot of idiots, sociopaths and drama llamas involved in the arts and leased a round-the-clock studio and storage space for less than renting one on my own.

I wanted to slap you about the Wii and mac book.
(the Wii is a fad and well i'm biased to the PC)

that is all...

seriously thanks for the help you guys.