<p>Lower class is defined as probably 50k lower
and middle class is probably a wide range from 50-150k</p>
<p>so i personally am in probably higher middle class and wont get much if any scholarship money because i dont have anything spectacular/ out of the ordinary. </p>
<p>now how do people pay for colleges that are out of state or private </p>
<p>i calculated a prrivate school/ out of state would cost me about 200k room and board included</p>
<p>even top notch public school would cost 80k room and board (instate)</p>
<p>I understand that people take loans and downsize their house but in the end is it worth it for an undergrad degree?</p>
<p>my mom told me the best thing to do is graduate minimal debt and since i am going into business, go to a great masters program. </p>
<p>For example, i would want to go to school top 30, and i would graduate with about 100k worth of debt.
on the other hand i could go to a not as known school like UTD and come out with no debt. </p>
<p>How do people pay for those big schools and graduate with minimal debt?</p>
<p>Start saving for college when the kids are little.</p>
<p>Your class definitions are out of whack. Median household income is about $45,000 - $50,000 is not “lower class” at all.</p>
<p>If you define “middle class” as the third and fourth income quintiles, you have a range of $35,000-$88,000.</p>
<p>Only 15 percent of American households earn more than $100,000 per year - that’s really not “middle” anything.</p>
<p>The answer to your question is that the vast majority of Americans don’t attend private colleges or expensive out-of-state schools. They go to their local state-subsidized public colleges and universities, just as most Americans attend subsidized public schools.</p>
<p>“Going away for college” is a luxury.</p>
<p>$100k worth of debt is dumb. No amount of prestige is worth that. There are some cases where it might be worth it – personally – to go to a more expensive school over a cheaper one even if the more expensive school requires loans, but $100k of debt is close to 5x the recommended maximum debt load for undergraduate work.</p>
<p>*now how do people pay for colleges that are out of state or private *</p>
<p>The truth is that College Confidential doesn’t represent the “the norm.” Most people don’t go “away” to school. Most people commute to their local state university…or even start at their local CC…</p>
<p>By staying home and commuting, many students and parents can pay for college out of current income, student’s part time job, and small student loans. **By eliminating room and board, many people avoid paying $8k-13k per year. **</p>
<p>If the tuition at a local state school and CC is reasonable, a person can get a BS degree for about $30-40k total</p>
<p>Most people don’t even have $100k for each child to go “away” to their big state school. </p>
<p>Again…College Confidential is not the norm.</p>