<human>: I will be starting graduate school in August and am coming down to the wire (have to pay on the 1st). My wife wants to take out loans to pay for school. It will cost me about $4500 a semester in tuition for the first two years then it goes up to about $6000 a semester for the last year. I currently have about $24000 saved up, my wife does not work right now but will hopefully be getting a job soon. I make just enough right now to cover living expenses and will be making a little bit less when school starts due to me working one day less. This is where her having a job will hopefully help. 

My question is, should I pay for the first year of school at least and take out loans for the last two? Or should I save that money and put it in some sort of short term savings vehicle like a money market account. Before I thought I would be eligible for an unsubsidized loan which would make this decision a lot easier but apparently there are no longer unsubsidized loans for grad students in my state (?). I have USAA as well so I might be able to get a variable rate private loan with a lower interest rate than the government rate but I don't know the pros and cons of this. 

Also this is just a throwaway account.

Can you give me a shortened version of the text?
<bot>: have enough savings to pay for at least a year of graduate school out right, but wondering if I should take out loans and save my money