It’s a common question: Should you use student loans to pay for college or self-fund it? The answer depends on many factors, including your future career and the amount of money you’re willing to put into your education. But in general, self-funded students tend to earn more money than those who took out loans.
Self-funding is a risky idea
The first thing to remember is that self-funding isn’t a guaranteed option. You’re not guaranteed a job for the rest of your life, and you’re not guaranteed to be able to pay off your loan.
You may not find work right away, and if you don’t have any other source of income coming in, then it could be difficult to get the funds needed to pay back these loans. Even if you do find employment quickly after graduation (and this is rare), there’s still no guarantee that your salaries will match their interest rates or that they’ll even stay at all similar levels so as not to bankrupt you later on.
There are advantages to self-funding
Self-funding has its advantages, as well. You can pay for your education with the money you earn from a job, so you’re not borrowing the money and paying interest on it. If you don’t finish your degree, you won’t be responsible for paying back any loans. And if you decide that taking out a loan is too much of a risk for your situation, self-funding may be an option to consider.
Student loans have their advantages, too
Student loans have their advantages, too. Here are some of the benefits:
- A fixed interest rate. The interest rate on private student loans is locked in at the time of disbursement, so it’s not subject to change over time like it is with self-funding. As per experts like SoFi, “If you’re worried about interest rates going up in the future, a fixed rate might be right for you.”
- A fixed monthly payment amount. Student loan repayments don’t fluctuate as much as self-financed payments do—your monthly payment amount won’t jump up or down based on what you make each month, unlike with self-funding where you’ll end up paying more if your income increases after paying off your bills and less or nothing at all if your income decreases or drops out entirely for any reason (like unemployment).
- A fixed term length (usually 10 years). Student loan repayment terms are generally between 10 and 25 years long—which means that even after those terms expire there will still be some outstanding balance left over that needs to be paid off before the loans can officially be considered repaid in full!
Finding a balance between self-funding and student loans is important
For some students, student loans make sense because they can use the money to pay for school and have it deferred until after graduation. At that point, they can pay back their loan in manageable monthly installments that are based on their income level. For others, self-funding may be more appropriate because of the flexible repayment options available once you leave school (you won’t have to worry about interest accumulating on student loans).
In conclusion, self-funding your education is a great option for those who are able to do so. It is an excellent way to invest in yourself and gain valuable skills that will benefit you throughout your career. However, it is important to consider all of the factors before deciding whether this option is right for you.