When it comes to colleges to choose from, Duke is, by far, my favorite. While the school was very generous in financial aid, it is so expensive that I will still need to go into debt. I originally believed that I would only need to have 20k in debt when I graduated, but now it looks I’ll be needing 30k (or possibly up to 40k) and I’m not sure if it’s worth it anymore. I love the school, but I want to major in theatre and dance with a minor in mathematics (or, if I can, an interdisciplinary studies major of all three), and I’m worried about having to pay back student loans when I may become a starving artist, plus I’m also contemplating getting a masters degree eventually. I know that Duke is an amazing school academically, and it is my favorite school, but is it worth the debt? I don’t really like my in state options, but I would at least get out of those debt free.
Let me give you some advice, which applies to all schools, not just Duke.
Major in something that can land you a job after graduation
Minor in something you love
So if I were you, I would major in Math, and then minor in theatre/dance. That way you will have a much easier time getting a job out of college, and paying back $30K debt will be less of an issue.
Sgopal2’s advice is pretty spot on.
As far as your original question, $30-$40k of debt isn’t terrible (compared to what it could be), but debt is never a good thing. Is that including a work study or campus job? (pretty do-able to make $1-2k).
I think it comes down to what your instate options are, if they are relatively prestigious go for them; however, if they are not, I think you’d make back that extra $30-40k pretty easily at Duke.
- CONGRATULATIONS on your Duke admission; I know how competitive Duke is and how hard you unquestionably worked to attain this distinction.
- @sgopal2's advice (in post #1) is excellent.
- This brings me to an additional -- and possibly critical -- point. I'm glad Duke's need-based FA was generous (my wife and I have endowed FA/scholarships at Duke; every time I read a post that indicates this, it honestly warms my heart . . . thank you for doing so). However, to your question, how onerous a $30K or $40K post-Bachelor's debt burden is obviously depends on several variables, especially: (a) family wealth and family future financial needs; (b) plans for postgraduate education; and (c) career choices and their likely concomitant compensation. Unfortunately, and as you're certainly aware, theater and dance generally are not highly-compensated professions. This, however, does NOT mean you shouldn't pursue your passion -- of course you should -- but possibly in an extremely pragmatic manner. That may indicate curricular selection that BOTH focuses on dance and theater, but also provides a reasonably paid contingency fallback alternative (as sgopal2 suggests).
- Finally, this brings me to a related "why Duke?" thought. Over half the undergraduate population will change majors at least once. What would happen if, in a few years, you decided that theater and dance, while still of considerable interest, were not your ultimate passion, but (after a course or two) economics was? At what university would you better able to accommodate this change in professional focus? Universities like Duke (and there aren't too many) have a signifiant advantage under these circumstances, because they have so many academic disciplines with real strength and stature -- not to mention excellent career placement. To illustrate, Juilliard may well be unequalled in the study of all musical disciplines, however, what happens to that oboist when, at age twenty, s/he decides to pursue paleontology?
I wish you the best of luck.