I Graduated Grad School Debt Free!

I started school in 2016 but my debt free grad school journey began in 2014.

When I graduated with my bachelors I had more than $25,000 in student loan debt. Which included subsidized and unsubsidized private and federal loans. If you were like me and had no idea what any of this meant when you went through your loan exit interview, here it is. Subsidized means the loan won't accrue interest until you graduate. Unsubsidized means that the loan accrues interest immediately. My parents and family made many sacrifices to get me through school and it was now my responsibility to figure out the next portion of my education.

In the fall of my senior year, just as I was beginning to study for the GRE, my supervisor emailed me that City Year would be on campus conducting an informational session and said she thought I'd benefit from attending. I attended the session and spoke with the recruiter. He was so inspiring, he encouraged me to apply to the program and I did!

Considering the alignment of this opportunity with my career aspirations and the benefit of the AmeriCorps Segal Award, I decided to serve a year with City Year Miami.

At this point you're probably like so what did you to graduate grad school debt free so, Here are 5 things I did to Eliminate Graduate School Debt:

Served with City Year Miami

I completed my year of service with AmeriCorps in 2016. One of the perks to successfully completing more than 1700 hours of service, was the monetary award that I received. I immediately paid off a private loan that I acquired while in undergrad, because those tend to have a higher interest. The remainder of the money went towards my first semester of graduate school.

I lived at home

I moved in with my parents and agreed to contribute a portion of my earnings to cover a portion of the household bills. My parents were aware of my goals and very supportive.

Enrolled in Tuition Payment Plan

While in undergrad, I learned about payment plans. Upon entering graduate school, I immediately opted into the university’s payment plan which allowed me to make 3 payments over the course of the semester instead of paying the complete balance upfront.

Worked on Campus

My graduate program offered graduate assistant positions to students. I initially applied in 2016 but was not selected. It wasn't that I didn't have the credentials, I just wasn't fully prepared for the interview process. (Don't be like me, let me help you!) In 2017, I applied for a position as a second year student and received one working in the career center. I was grateful for this position because it paid for my tuition, I worked on campus 20 hours a week and received a stipend.

Worked Part Time

After not receiving a position on campus during my first year of graduate school, I used my network with City Year Miami and the local school district to work in an elementary school and at a local charter school.

Decide. Commit. Succeed.