I knew a girl who went to a 40K college and after she graduated, she got a job making 40k per year. She lived at home, so she was able to pay off her loans after just a few years.

They give you a long time to pay off your loans.

If you really are poor, you can get all kinds of scholarships from the university and the government.

If you apply for a federal student loan you need to:

1) Fill out the FAFSA. This will determine if you are eligible for financial aid. Go here:

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

2) Once you are eligible for aid, choose a government-based student loan. The best loan to get is a Federal Perkins Loan. These have low interest rates and the government will help you pay it back as long as you stay enrolled in school. You also don’t need a cosigner or good credit for it. For more info go here:

http://www.studentfinancedomain.com/student_loans/perkins_student_loans.aspx

3) The next best loan to get is a Subsidized Stafford Loan. This has many of the same benefits as a Perkins Loan. Learn more here:

http://www.studentfinancedomain.com/student_loans/subsidized_stafford_loan.aspx

If you apply for grants and scholarships you can go to these sites:

FedMoney.org Home

http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp

http://www.freegovmoney.net/

http://www.educationplanner.com/education_planner/paying_article.asp?sponsor=2859&articleName=Grants_and_Scholarships

http://www.studentawards.com/

http://www.college-scholarships.com/

Good luck!

If you still need more money, get federal subsidized loans first, and private loans last.

Here are some sites for both types of loans:

http://financialaid.com

http://finfo.com

http://mytuition.com

http://salliemae.com

Just remember to take only what you need. It’s always tempting to take a bit more so that you can spend it on cars, clothes, alcohol, etc… but it isn’t worth it.

Good luck!