that's smart. Working while going to school sucks (that's what I did), but not only is graduating without debt a fantastic feeling and great economic position to be in, but it also made me optimize the monetary consequence of my choices a lot more. When you don't have to pay it off for years, it's very easy for your mind to convince you that you need a new laptop, or a new car, or a generous nightlife budget, etc. Even just new vs. used books makes a big difference in cost.