<p>Don’t forget that students are borrowing more & more in unsubsidized loans. They aren’t paying the interest during school & the grace period … and it continues to accumulate during the repayment period … leading to a ridiculously large amount of interest owed on what <em>seems</em> to be a relatively manageable loan amount. The loan calculators often are for subsidized loans. </p>
<p>OP, are you planning to attend a school that costs over $50k per year without any guaranteed financial assistance other than loans? If so, I assume your parents must earn a lot, yet are unwilling to help you pay for school. If they don’t really make all that much, perhaps you would actually be eligible for more aid than you think. You might want to talk to a financial aid officer at the school to find out what things might look like for you. The bottom line is, though, that you need to VERY SERIOUSLY consider what it means to take on as much debt as you asked about. Personally, I would advise you to look into other, more affordable schools. If you can get into a $50k/year school, you can most likely find an excellent school where you could get merit money.</p>