Loan repayment, Salary & expense calculation

"How much does a USC Master's actually cost?" Most students look at the I-20 and panic. I was in your shoes, coming from a middle-class Indian background. I used a loan to fund my USC dream and also paid it back right after graduating.

In this session, we stop guessing and start calculating. I will walk you through the real-world math of being a student in LA and a professional in Seattle.

We will cover:

• The USC Fee Breakdown: Real math for a 28-unit MS in CS. We'll look at the $2,665/unit tuition (2025 rates), mandatory health insurance (~$2,500+), and fees that the website hides.

• Daily Survival Math: What everyday life actually costs—from $800 shared rooms in North University Park to $400/month grocery runs at Trader Joe’s vs. Indian stores.

• Student vs. Professional Expenses: How my life changed from a $1,500/month student budget in LA to managing high-end expenses and zero state tax in Seattle as a Microsoft SWE.

• The Loan vs. Salary Equation: We will calculate your estimated "Take-Home" pay after taxes and 401k to see exactly how much you can divert to your loan EMI every month.

If you’re worried about the financial risk of a US Master's, let’s look at my actual spreadsheets. I’ll show you how the debt is manageable if the strategy is right.