To anyone who did attend college or university, is attending, or has plans to attend: how did you pay for it, how are you paying for it, or how do you plan to pay for it?
Were you on a full scholarship? Was it largely state-funded? Did you have a steady job, use savings from gift money, or get help from your family?

Edit, 09:40 CST Sat 29 Jan 2006 - I was on a half scholarship via several mostly competitive sources, which I acknowledge now with gratitude:

• A Maryland Distinguished Scholarship: $3000 per year, which was worth quite a bit more in 1989-1993 than it is now (unfortnately, it's still $3000 a year)


• A Data Processing Management Association scholarship: $1000 from DPMA in 1989-1990, now Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP)


• The 1989 Mathematics scholarship from Scholarships for Scholars, a foundation in Anne Arundel County, Maryland: $1500 in 1989-1990


• A National Merit scholarship (the PSAT/NMSQT-based one): $2500 in my second year, 1990-1991


• A need-based scholarship from the Higher Education Commission of the State of Maryland: $1250 a semester


• An Exxon-Mobil Corporation junior scholarship: $1250 in 1991-1992


• A half tuition waiver from the CS department at Johns Hopkins University: $8500 for the "fifth" year of the pilot B.S.-M.S.Eng program, which was actually my fourth year, 1992-1993

Tuition at Johns Hopkins University¹ went from $14000 per year in 1989-1990, my first year, to $17000 in 1992-1993, my last. I roomed and boarded at home in Severna Park and commuted to Baltimore. My folks ended up paying about $28000 out of $62000 for my tuition, which I repaid during the first 4 of my 5 years of Ph.D. studies (1993-1997).

¹ According to the official table, 2005-2006 tuition at JHU was $31620 and 2006-2007 tuition will be $33900. Total tuition for a 4-year degree from Hopkins will run over $140000 starting next year.

Just curious,
Banazir