<p>All the great positions require degrees from elite universities. This is what it seems like to me. If your parents aren’t well off, is there a way of climbing the ladders to a respected position? Sadly my parents won’t be able to provide me with any financial support towards my education. I was willing to get a large amount of student loans, but a lot of college graduates are discouraging me from doing that. So is that it? I’ll end up going to a community college, than to any university that pays the majority of the fees with financial aid? Will I be able to make 150-200k within 10-15 years of graduating if I graduate from any university? What exactly should I do? Should I get a lot of loans?</p>
<p>Many (most) elite schools provide their admitted students with 100% of demonstrated need at the undergraduate level through need-based financial aid. The major problem you face is if your parents do have the money to afford school they just 1. Choose not to provide it or 2. Have already committed it elsewhere (e.g., an expensive house and cars).</p>
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<p>I don’t know that attending any school for any undergraduate major would make 150-200k a year 10-15 years post-graduation a solid expectation.</p>
<p>I don’t expect that kind of salary with an undergraduate degree. I would like to get a bachelors degree, work and get experience, than return back to school and acquire a masters in business administration. So Aigiqinf, I don’t exactly understand what you’re saying. If you’re admitted to a university and don’t have the ability to pay for it, than the university provides you with a free education?</p>
<p>Go as good as you can as cheap as you can. Jobs after college are too dicey to be loaded down with debt. GL.</p>
<p>Your thread’s title uses the word “successful”, rather than high-paying. Any how, for “high paying” you can easily google lists of “high-paying undergraduate majors”. </p>
<p>Payscale.com lists petroleum engineering as the undergrad degree having the highest starting salary, at just under 100k. Then mid-career earnings at about 170k.</p>
<p>I would caution against choosing any major simply because it pays well. You may end up having to perform in that discipline for 30+ years…</p>
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<p>If you’re admitted to a school that meets 100% of demonstrated need for all admit students (usually highly-selective private universities), the university will make it possible for you to attend. Many such schools provide no-loans guarantees for students making under a certain amount. Here’s one list of schools that claim to meet 100% of demonstrated need for 100% of admitted students. <a href=“http://rmec.dadeschools.net/Documents/CAP/2009-2010/Colleges%20That%20Meet%20Full%20Demonstrated%20Need.pdf[/url]”>http://rmec.dadeschools.net/Documents/CAP/2009-2010/Colleges%20That%20Meet%20Full%20Demonstrated%20Need.pdf</a></p>
<p>Note that this is largely restricted to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents (with some exceptions). And, again, they ask you to pay what you can, not what you’d like to. This can get particularly dicey for students whose parents can pay, but decide not to and those whose parents have complex assets.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks for the information! I’m guessing that its only given to a few students though? The best of the best?</p>
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<p>Schools who meet 100% of demonstrated need meet 100% of demonstrated need for every admitted student–not just the best. For that reason, low-income students will often pay less to attend an elite school than a state school. The difficulty is in gaining acceptance to the elite schools.</p>
<p>In fact, non-flagship state school will often have little money of their own to lure students to attend–most aid is federal/state money with a handful of privately-endowed, large scholarships. Flagship schools often have more money, but they will still often not be able to meet an out-of-state student’s needs.</p>