<prompt> Human: I need your advice on this. I am 22 years old and just started university first year. I know I need a college degree in this day and age but what Im beating myself up over is choosing a really expensive school. 28kyear tuition fees 10kyear food and accommodation. I dont know what I was thinking.Do you think this is a ridiculous amount I think its madness or is this what most private colleges are charging. Im not sure if I should transfer after first year to a cheaper school. If I do that, I would have wasted 40k on nothing as essential Im paying for the brand name of the university more then anything.. I wish I didnt rush into this decision. please give me some advice. thank you, and sorry for the long post.  <response>: The key is that University is only a waste of money for most people because they spend their time there poorly: drinking and partying and submitting bad essays late. You have to make it worth your money, and you more than most because you picked a prestigious and expensive University. You do have more options than this though. If you work really hard youll do well - University is about how hard you work in most subjects, not how intelligent you happen to be - and if you do well youll be eligible for various funding and scholarships. You need to speak to your academic advisor first because often these scholarships are very competitive and you need to write detailed and complex applications often alongside a lengthier piece of writing, and this has to be top tier. Your advisor or other staff members will be happy to help you if they know what theyre doing, but only if you have a reputation for being a good student. 