Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
I graduated debt free twice. I lived with parents free. I worked part time the whole time and went to school full time. I didn't have any assets when I graduated with my second degree at age 28. At age 36, I live in my first home with 50% equity. My 401k/IRA are approaching 100k already. I'm amazed at how God has blessed me. I grew up poor as kid with only 1,500 dollar savings from Grandpa for College. I had no student loans or scholarships. I did the community college and 4 yr state school.
Good for you! Oddly enough I managed to be pretty similar (depending upon how you view home equity) -- BUT -- I borrowed pretty much for all of my degree, and then wound up paying for my wife's degree too. Looking back I don't think I would have done well if I had to work while in school; I don't think I would have gone as far had I done community college or vocation school. Very hard to tell, since hindsight is *not* 20/20. I'd have to say my maturity is coming late in life; I might not have been a slacker as a teenager but I've read of too many others who were much more motivated than I. They did better than I did, then again I'm usually pretty content where I wound up.
I have no plans to cosign for school loans. I do hope to have the house paid off, then start start saving for their college--wish I had done that earlier, but one can only do so much. But my kids are going to have to "own" their own schooling, and having the (scary) realization of having to pay back all that debt might force them to make better choices about it.