STORM2K

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Nearly two of every three undergraduate students are going into debt to go to college, owing an average of more than $19,000, most often to the government.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/05/31 ... index.html

Figures for the 12 states:

# California: 56.4 percent of undergraduates taking out student loans, $17,266 average total loans, $15,259 average federal loans.

# Connecticut: 62.4 percent, $17,990 average total loans, $17,143 federal loans.

# Delaware: 56.1 percent $16,473 total, $12,946 federal.

# Georgia: 65.4 percent, $20,767 total, $18,505 federal.

# Illinois: 63.2 percent, $18,788 total, $16,594 federal.

# Indiana: 61.1 percent. $19,112 total, $17,566 federal.

# Minnesota: 76.3 percent, $20,312 total, $16,406 federal.

# Nebraska: 71.8 percent, $16,200 total, $15,373 federal.

# New York: 67.2 percent, $20,838 total, $17,603 federal.

# Oregon: 76.5 percent, $17,772 total, $16,641 federal.

# Tennessee: 70.9 percent, $19,949 total. $17,852 federal.

# Texas: 64 per cent, $18,508 total, $16,624 federal.

All states: 65.6 percent, $19,202 total, $17,202 federal.

One of the biggest mistakes I made was taking out student loans to pay for college. I wished I had worked and then pay for classes.

My husband didn't take out a loan either. That was many moons ago. He worked weekends as a bartender. He said most all the bars on campus employed college guys. His mother would send him money for food. He shared rent with many guys. Things were tough. He spent about 9 years in college, plus doing his post doc. But it all paid off, he finally got his Phd. in Chemistry.

Hey, if you have to get a loan, it is ok.

I am going through without getting any loans. It is taking longer but I am getting through. I made the personal decision that I wasn't going to be deep in debt when I graduated. Sometimes it is frustrating but I will be better off in the long run.

My wife racked up a lot of student loan debt. However, at ~2% interest it's really not a big deal to pay the minimum. She finished law school at exactly the right time.

Oh, that is great..... as a lawyer, she should have no problem paying it off.

Good luck....