MPP/MPA Debt

[erin85]

So, out of curiosity, how much debt do many of you plan on taking out to pay for your MPP/MPA/related degree?

The two schools I am most interested in would leave me between 80,000 and 100,000 in debt, mattering how I handle working, weaseling small amounts of money from the parents, etc. etc. For the record, I have no other debt at the time (undergrad is fully paid for, no credit card debts or other loans). According to Sallie May I'll have between an $800 and $1200 a month repayment post-degree...I hear this is "manageable", especially since the pain will only last 5ish years (before I should have made enough in raises/promotions to be more comfortable), but still... I'm curious.

Thoughts? Input? Your own plans on debt?

-Erin

[xnormajeanx]

Wow $1200 a month is sort of insane.

Subtracting scholarships and savings, it looks like I'll require $45,000 ish to get myself through grad school.

(The estimated "expenses" portion of most schools' calculations look really high to me. I feel like I can get by on $15,000 a year, not $20+K)

However, I am only taking out about $14,000 in low-interest loans from the Canadian govt (the max allowed for people not studying in Canada); My parents will likely loan me the rest.

I am thinking 45K is not bad because many of my friends have nearly that much in loans coming out of undergrad. Thankfully I have no undergrad loans, and actually have some savings.

[ladyseacow]

I'm looking at around $60K for the dream school, and am thinking that that amount seems a little unmanageable, so perhaps I will take a year to figure this all out. I am also debt free from undergrad with some savings.

[fingerscrossed]

This is a big issue for me too, as I am nearly finished paying off my undergraduate loans and not really looking forward to undertaking more. I think I am looking to borrow between $25,000 - $40,000, depending how much I might be able to work. I don't want to borrow anything but Stafford loans.