<prompt> Human: I will be attending a top school as an undergrad with lots of financial aid. I will be paying 12k a year. My family can pay that amount in cash, but I have the option of taking out 5k per year in loans the unsubsidized Stafford at a reasonable interest rate that I dont have to pay off until I graduate. There are benefits to taking out loans like building up credit and more financial flexibility for my family, but is the debt worth it?I will be studying engineering but potentially switching into finance if that matters basically not a liberal arts degree. I also definitely want to go to graduate or professional school.  <response>: Im going to disagree with what others have said so far and tell you to consider taking it those loans. As you mentioned, it will mean more financial flexibility for your family. How are they getting by right now? How much would it mean to you if they were slightly better off financially? 5k a year isnt a lot in the world of student loans, and it will be extremely manageable if you are able to get a solid engineering or finance job after graduating. Its not a terrible financial decision to take some of the education burden on yourself instead of your family, but it comes down to a personal decision for yourself on your values. Discuss your options with your family and see what they recommend as well. 