Yep, I’m one of those folks that worked their way through school. Had one full time and two part time jobs. During the summer I worked construction. Only had one student loan and paid that off long before it was due. No free stuff or family help, did it on my own.
I worked in a lumber yard, a 5&10, a warehouse and as a janitor in a grade school to put myself through. Unlike the rich kids whose parents paid their way through, I felt a sense of accomplishment that went beyond the degree on graduation day.
Look at what colleges turn out these days. Namby pambies that need a safe space from micro-aggression and demands that working people pay for their education.
Times have changed.
My kids both worked all through college and paid most of their own way. The jobs my son had though don’t exist any more or have been taken over by illegals - pumping gas, washing cars, greenskeeper at golf course, etc. Oldest grandson just applied for a summer construction job and was told that he had to be able to speak fluent Spanish so that he could communicate with other crew members. He has also been working on weekends at a nursing home and was told this week that they could only afford to pay him for four hours on Sunday at $7.50 per hour beginning this weekend. Not sure how we’re going to pay for his last year of college beginning this fall. Sure don’t want him to have to borrow any money, but he’ll figure it out.
“Yep, I’m one of those folks that worked their way through school. Had one full time and two part time jobs. During the summer I worked construction.”
My story is similar to your story. I took out a loan that did have subsidized interest for my final 3 semesters (I was working full time as an engineer by then ... had 18 credits left to take).
A liberal freak (someone I grew up with) once called me out on that even though I admitted to it ... I really wish I didn’t take that loan as I could have paid it all myself. I pointed out how he somehow was eligible for grants and loans at least five times throughout his adult life yet never finished so much as a semester. These college programs certainly subsidize the worthless anymore. There are no balances against the checks they write out.
Interesting side-story on that freak ... he was a constant leech among my circle of friends back then ... remained that way to this day from what I understand. He was arrested on several counts of kiddie porn a few years ago ... I guess that’s a merit badge among that type of scum. I hope he enjoyed jail!!!