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Nursing Students General Students

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I am super scared to carry a large amount of debit. Is it better to work part time and pay each class off, before moving on to another class? This will take me much longer, but my program has a part-time student option.

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It's hard to say if one is truly better than the other. I would think working while in school is good, and paying as you go- no debt carried over means no interest. But I have not been able to work and focus on school and actually have all the money to pay it off as I go. So for me, it's better to get into a better job as quickly as possible, to be earning more sooner.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Which is better depends on the details. How much loan are we talking about? How much longer would the slow route take? Going to school for an extra 2 years to save $5,000 is probably not worth it. But going to school for 1 extra year to save $100,000 probably is.

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

"Better" is going to come down to several individual factors. Are you already carrying prior debt? What is your current income / earning potential, and what is the difference after completing nursing school? How large of a loan would you be looking at? How much time does not taking a loan delay increased earning potential? How much can you realistically earn while working during school? What options exist for reducing financial stress (e.g. scholarships/grants, work-study, employer scholarships or repayment, moving into a cheaper living situation etc) and how do these fit in with the plan to take or not take loans?

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