Does anybody know how student loans work if you go to grad school?

[judowrestler1]

I just finished my first year as a math/chem. major and have been toying with the idea of going to grad school right after undergrad to go for a PHD.(Not sure if I want to do applied math or physical chem, yet). My question is though if you go to grad school, will your undergraduate loans be put on hold until you graduate from grad school, or are you responsible for those during that time?

 

[eri]

Your loans will be deferred as long as you're in school, and that includes graduate school. Keep in mind grad schools will pay YOU to attend in the sciences (in return for teaching and/or doing research for them). It doesn't pay a lot, but usually enough to live on without taking out (much) more in loans.

 

[judowrestler1]

Thanks, how important is your undergrad school when trying to go to grad school?I'm going to a small private university because, I like that atmosphere better than state schools. So, will that bar me from going to a top 20 grad school?(Providing a 4.0 or close GPA?)

 

[Pengwuino]

Thanks, how important is your undergrad school when trying to go to grad school?I'm going to a small private university because, I like that atmosphere better than state schools. So, will that bar me from going to a top 20 grad school?(Providing a 4.0 or close GPA?)

No but you'll end up finding out that "top #" doesn't make much sense in regards to physics graduate schools.

 

[jtbell]

Thanks, how important is your undergrad school when trying to go to grad school?I'm going to a small private university because, I like that atmosphere better than state schools. So, will that bar me from going to a top 20 grad school?(Providing a 4.0 or close GPA?)

This sort of question gets asked at least twice a month next door in the "Academic Guidance" forum. You might try browsing through a few months' worth of old threads there.