How Do You Manage Student Loans After Declaring Your Major?

[jaydnul]

So I am debating between declaring an EE or physics major (im a sophomore at a university). Seems like a lot of people come to this crossroads. Honestly, the only reason i would do EE is for the better chances of employment after i get my BS. Now i am having to take out a small school loan to help pay the bills and i am worried that if i major in physics ill be trying to pay off those loans with minimum wage jobs because i can't get a real job anywhere. I also plan to go to grad school. So my question is for the people who had to take out loans and how they managed them after graduating with a BS. Did you take out even more loans during grad school and end up paying the lot of them after receiving a phd?

 

[TMFKAN64]

If you have been accepted by a Ph.D. program but not given any financial support, they have actually rejected you, but wanted to be polite in case you are independently wealthy.

Generally speaking, you should receive tuition and a small stipend during your Ph.D. studies, in exchange for either teaching or research services. You shouldn't have to take out any additional loans to get a Ph.D.

The situation is different for master's degrees. Full support there is the exception, rather than the rule.

 

[Takuza]

If you have been accepted by a Ph.D. program but not given any financial support, they have actually rejected you, but wanted to be polite in case you are independently wealthy.

Well said.

 

[carlgrace]

If you have been accepted by a Ph.D. program but not given any financial support, they have actually rejected you, but wanted to be polite in case you are independently wealthy.

Depends on the school. Well over half of the students accepted into Stanford's EE grad program do not get a funding offer. They typically pay for one year and get support if they pass the Ph.D. screening exam.