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Justme, I'm going to give you some unasked-for advice. And that is to be really, really, cautious about student loan debt.
Don't think in terms of a major/degree at this point. Think in terms of what you really want to DO. Marine biology? Plant research? Teaching? Pharmaceutical sales? Or...? Then contact people who are doing what you think you might like to do. Ask them for an information interview. Ask them what they like about their job...what they dislike...what they would have done differently in terms of preparing for their career. Also ask them about the salary range for their type of work. I think you will find their responses enlightening. IMO you should do this because you are about to invest tens of thousands of dollars of your money. If you were investing this much in a stock, wouldn't you do your homework? Why not now?
Your student loan debt should be proportional to what you expect to earn. Someone getting an M.B.A. from Stanford Business School can take on an insane amount of debt because in all likelihood they will be earning a high income...both right away, and down the road. On the other hand, a teacher with a master's degree and a $60,000 debt has crippled herself for the next thirty years. I'm a teacher, I got my master's with $32,000 in student loans, and I can tell you that the debt was just too much.
I did a quick google and I saw that a salary range for a marine biologist is roughly $40,000 to $70,000. This is a very modest professional salary. With such a salary, I wouldn't advise more than $20,000 or so of student debt, and even that might be rather high.
While a $200 or $300 monthly payment might not seem so bad now (and is probably tolerable for ten years) it can really, really hurt you down the road, especially if you have to pay it over 20 or 30 years. It can prevent you from getting a decent car or from buying your own home. It is like a yoke around your neck.
See what you get in terms of a financial package from A&M and take it from there. Work/study jobs can be a great option. My advice is to keep your education as inexpensive as possible. I think you should strongly consider living at home for two years and going to your local community college. Look into high-school AP courses as well.
Good luck to you!
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