Hey man, welcome to the boards.
It's encouraging to see another young person taking the time to think ahead and plan out their dreams. I can tell already by the approach you're taking that you'll be light-years ahead of your class in just a few years.
At risk of dragging out the old soap box, I wanted to give you a little advice as a peer. Just a few years ago I was in high school planning my college and dreaming about Vipers!
Although not everyone will agree with me, the best advice I have to give someone your age is to work while you're in school. Work as much as you possibly can. If you can live at you're folks house, that helps even more. Here's why: The first reason is an obvious math issue. More coming in equals less (if any) to pay back later. The second is also pretty obvious: The more you work while you're in school means the larger resume you'll have when you're finished. In this economy they aren't giving out jobs like candy anymore. With a stacked resume, you'll have a leg up on every other graduate in your field. The third primary reason is a little bit more subtle. Working while you're in school ingrains a strong sense of work ethic in your fiber that you will carry throughout the rest of your life. It makes you a better employee in the long run and is well worth the effort required. Furthermore, if you don't have time to get involved with all the parties, drinking, and other stuff that goes on in a typical college student's life you not only spend a lot less money but also keep from getting ******* in habitually life deprecating practices.
As for living with the folks (depending on where you live and what your situation is) when you don't have to think about where you're going to sleep, what you're going to eat, how you're going to pay for utilities, insurance, maintenance, etc, etc, you have a lot more time to devote to your studies and your job(s). I don't even have to bring up the obvious monetary benefits.
I'll add that a lot of folks strongly disagree with the idea of working your way through college. Many will say that working will take away from your study time and cause your grades to suffer. While this point seems valid at the surface after some observation of my peers, I actually take the opposite approach. The ones who did not work through college typically had enough free time to get wrapped up in the aforementioned typical college student activities. Most of my peers in this condition spent
more time in a drunken stupor than I did at work! It was I who got the better grades. "But", I can still hear them say, "You got to live a little right?!? Where's the fun in all that??" My response: I graduated debt free and wrote a check for the one thing I always wanted: A Viper. There's the fun in that!
If you care to know a little bit about my back story you can see my introduction post
here.
I'll leave you with one final suggestion. Although I'm a huge supporter of free money (i.e. scholarships), here's a book I wish I had when I was in high school. He offers a very interesting approach to college in terms of money. It's a good read, and well worth your time. It will give you a lot to think about.
Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching off My Parents
Good luck and enjoy the ride!! Like I said, by thinking about it I can already tell you're way ahead of your peers. I have no doubt you'll be in a Viper before you realize!
All the best
