skpMatcha wrote:
Hello partimers, what are your plans for financing the program ? Has anyone applied for student loans (FAFSA or private ?) How many are relying on employers contribution ?
My employer is sponsoring 20% of my tuition , I have to bear the rest. I am on the verge of becoming a permenant resident , so if at all I have to apply for federal loans I will have to do it next year once I become one.
Please share your plans and thoughts.
Hey there!
I'm in a pretty similar boat. My employer will pay around 1/3 of my expenses, and I will personally be depending on some combination of federal and private loans to cover the balance. At the moment I'm inclined to go with all private loans, as the rates are highly preferable to the Federal grad plus loans @ 7.9%.
My undergraduate loans are through Citibank, and are currently sitting at an interest rate near 3.5% (originally borrowed in 2004). My husband is in a master's (not MBA) program currently, and his rate for this semester was closer to 4.0%. As long as I can get great rates like those and the stock market continues to have (what I believe to be) awesome purchase opportunities I'll be borrowing the cost of my degree. If the market has a huge run up and interest rates jump I'll start cash flowing part of it, but I don't really anticipate that happening in the next three years
Where will you be applying?