<p>I’m bumping this thread with a link to my own because I think this is a very important conversation that still needs to be had. This thread existed the year I graduated HS and I really regret not listening to the advice.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1571799-pursuing-new-degree-after-100k-debt-unfinished-risd-degree-cautionary-tale.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1571799-pursuing-new-degree-after-100k-debt-unfinished-risd-degree-cautionary-tale.html</a></p>
<p>I’m now $100k in debt with accumulated interest, from 2 years of art school (including RISD). I had to leave, and thank goodness, because getting into anymore debt for art would have been absolutely crazy. It already is…</p>
<p>I’m now pursuing nursing (3.9 gpa) and will “only” hopefully have about $30k more in interest and loans (mostly interest) by the time I graduate.</p>
<p>Tell me… will working as a nurse, and contributing around $2,000-2,500 a month towards my loans for as long as it takes to pay off this money, work out? Or am I destined to be miserable haha. I’m more than willing to accept responsibility for paying it off, realize it will be hard, but I will be so happy once it’s over. Such is life. I want to put any possible additional money towards it, maybe even up to $3k a month depending on starting salary and where I live (and how much I contribute to my boyfriend and I’s living expenses). I’d like to pay off my loans within 10 years and then start building a better life for us and hopefully kids, while living comfortably and definitely not beyond my means like I was led to believe was okay. Bleh.</p>
<p>I think it’s important for future college students to read this and understand not to make the same mistake I did. No art degree is worth that LOAN money!!</p>