Kirk Said:

I'm graduating with my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology..how can I get hired?

We Answered:

<--- graduated last yr and STEEEEEL cant find a job its economy best advice stay in school until the economy is better

Emily Said:

How long can I use student loans?

We Answered:

That you are 24 years of age does not matter at all to a lender; your age is wholly inconsequential to the education-loan mechanisms. It means something only to you and those who make judgements about what you do! Bear this no attention. What do they know? They are just as confused as you are. But today virtually everyone is confused. And perhaps -- if they are not confused, then they are perhaps dangerous. Because a confused person at least knows that something is wrong.

But it is this. Are you asking, 'How long can I take-out loans for purposes of completing a degree program?' If so, that is a curiosity now. Here's why:

Before 2009, there existed only a "boiler-plate" threshold on borrowing money for school. But circumstances have changed since then because of the great financial mess that banks and lenders have gotten the country into.

Now schools scrutinize what students do a whole lot more -- simply because there is less money that lenders are willing to ante-up. Oh, don't get me wrong. Lenders 'have' the money and know that lending money to students is a good investment. Only that they have not completely figured out a smarter way in which to administer these loans without getting busted for the improper ways they tend to configure their lending policies.

'Not the students' faults, but the lenders' faults.

But first of all, loans are set according to (1) the terms of the degree program set by the school itself, and (2) are set according to the whims of the lenders. Both of these set the terms of the loans in concert with federal regulators in the U.S. Department of Education and Congress. They may now have preferred to set a modified default at which point the degree 'must' be now queued for completion that is different from precedents set before and during 2009.

Community colleges are different about loans than are undergraduate schools: the maximum money that may be lent is much less at community colleges.

Graduate and professional degrees and fellowships are different still again, because these degrees can take up to 10 years to complete; and so, comparatively, there is no true limit provided that the school itself has set up its degree-conferring programs in ways that simply require that the student be allowed time to complete the curricula.

One concern that admissions and financial aid officers have long known to watch-out for is the student who they consider a "professional student." These are students who go to school wherein the work never resolves to a degree of any sort, but instead the student will have borrowed money solely to live on. These students in turn stay in school to defer all previous loans from coming due for payment -- hence, a professional student!

Lee Said:

Should I take out student loans? PLS HELP?

We Answered:

It's good that you're at least considering this before leaping in; most people don't. What I'd suggest is to look at the industry that you're interested in and how well it does in the area you want to live. How well does graphic design pay where you are or where you want to be? If we're talking $25,000 per year out of that gate without much room for growth then I'd say no. I've had several friends go back to school to avoid the dying job market only to walk out a year or two or three later with a degree that doesn't earn enough to cover the loans. Call around to local graphic design forms and talk it through with someone there. Maybe do some job shadowing. Most people are very willing to talk to others about what they do.

Yolanda Said:

What else can I do to get help to pay for school?

We Answered:

You can work full time and attend school part time. This will enable you to pay as you go.

Sally Said:

What do you think my friend should do?

We Answered:

There are jobs out there. Check out http://www.postlingua.com although it won't help her if she really can't speak Spanish