Hello Mustachians, I would call you fellows but I just started and I think I can see some stubble coming in, but time will tell.
A little background. I am a 24 year old California resident who has been going to community college and just getting by not really knowing what I wanted to do until now. But having gotten as far into college as I have I can finally apply to transfer. I need to apply this fall for admission in 2017. I think I want to go to UC-San Diego because of the degree program they have, and while the area is expensive, and the UC is more than the Cal State in that area I feel it would be the best choice based on their mathematics base focus on Economics, if I can get in.
In the last few months I have buckled down, lost 30 pounds, payed off 2/3 of my credit card debt and done really well in my classes. So, I am planning on applying to school and I want to know the Mustachian way to do this.
I am too old already to waste any more time and the more I read about FI and RE the more I want to get in and out of school and on the way to doing life not in my parents home... I want to major in Economics. I love the subject and I know that it is a major that can net a better than average wage, with the potential for a very good wage if and when I finish my Masters.
Also, now that I am 24 and my income is so low I will be able to receive a lot in financial aide, mainly the 12.5k Pell grant and hopefully up to another 30k from the CAL Grant. Is it worth it to go if I have to take out loans? I intend on taking just a bike to school, living a Black Belt level of frugality, and finishing as quickly as possible once I get there so as to move on and get a job that will pay 2-3 times more than what I am currently making with my 3 part time jobs. Speaking of those 3 part time jobs, I make roughly 1,500 a month and have been spending around 500 of it a month on essentials. I will be transitioning to saving as much as I can for when I go to school in 2017. This Summer I will make approx 3k from my summer job, and the 7 weeks I will have free food and rent. When when I come back from summer I will be making about the same 1500 a month and saving as much as possible for school, so as to have to take out 0 loans, that is the goal, no loans.
So, my questions are, should I at 24 go finish the 3 more years of school I need to get the dang degree? If the answer is yes, should I move to a new area and pay the rent to go to a better school than Cal State San Bernardino, the most local school. The goal of going somewhere better is to hopefully earn better wage? Or I could commute the 40 minutes from my parents home, free rent, to UC-Riverside in my area, both have an Economics Major.
Any and all wisdom is appreciated, I think my best course of action would be to go to UCSD, get a couple roommates and grind out my degree and get into the work force soon as possible. Thank you so much for reading this and taking the time to respond. I am just very new to this and I want to get a good solid start on the rest of my life, especially since I am starting so late.
Thank you!