Yeah, this part is pretty terrifying. I'm fortunate to be in a program that requires a full year of paid, 40 hour work week internships in order to graduate (making it a 5-year undergrad program), and the level of debt is well into the 5 figures, but won't hit 6 figures (yay?). The great part about this is that I'll have work experience with 3 different STEM companies prior to graduating college, which should work out well for a full-time position. Case in point: Prior to this year getting an internship was awfully difficult, even with some work experience. But with two STEM jobs, managerial positions in College organizations and some other factors, I had a 50% interview/application ratio going on this year which was an absurd change. Hopefully that will continue and I'll be able to get a job that will allow me to pay off this debt as fast as possible. As for 4 year programs that don't have the luxury of the paid internship, or don't require as much of it, that's where the scariest part is. It seems as though you pretty much have to have the work experience prior to leaving college in order to get a decent job after college. A friend of mine studied New Media Design and was damn good at it, but is still unemployed almost 8 months later, and is now moving to Brooklyn. Another friend of mine who is a great photographer has been doing apprenticeships since graduating, and has only recently found a steady job. Despite the level of debt that I'm at, I feel lucky to have the work and managerial experience heading into post-undergraduate full-time employment. Hopefully I'm right about that.- If you were 15 in 2010, you know that not only are you going to need an advanced degree, you're going to have to put in a couple years of unpaid internship in order to even make your money back.
- If you were 15 in 2010, you know that not only are you going to need an advanced degree, you're going to have to put in a couple years of unpaid internship in order to even make your money back.