Hello Everyone! I must commend Doug on his contribution regarding "Paying for College". His statements hold some excellent messages for us all. I started college in 1990, worked on two undergraduate degrees and one graduate. I have gone to night school for 6 straight years, full-time. In a semester (long or short) I take between 12 - 21 hours. I have sacrificed relationships, friendships, and vacations for my academic goals. I have continually worked in a demanding and full-time capacity, and, for a couple of years, even worked an additional part-time job in order to pay for college and still eat healthy. I found that I was able to pay for school myself; however, the financial demands caught up with me physically. I have taken out student loans (when I began a private university) and have also received academic scholarships. Loans are a great way to fund college.....as long as they are used responsibly. Some semesters/years financial aid was the only option I had if I wanted to continue.....then others I could pay for myself. I found a medium I could work and live with. Heather