Welcome to Ferris State University's "Get Real!" experience! Through this simulation, you will be able to experience how your future career and personal life choices will impact your future financially. You'll start by choosing your profession to determine your median salary. You'll make hypothetical yet realistic life choices, learn about how it will affect you monetarily, and gain valuable insight that will allow you to make the best choices today about your future tomorrow.

In order to give you the most accurate experience, we recommend you visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. This source will allow you to view each profession as well as their median compensation and entry-level education requirements.

Once you have determined which is best suited for you, please fill in the information below.

Undecided on your future? Feel free to retry this simulation with a different profession next time!

Okay, we all know it isn't actually that easy. For the sake of this simulation, please choose your marital status and number of children below. This will determine the total number in your household.

Based on your occupation, marital status, and number of children, below are the finances you will be working with. Please review your income, as well as your spouse's income if applicable. For the purpose of this exercise, your spouse has a minimum wage job.

Next, we will be making decisions based on your monthly income. These include things like housing, groceries, transportation, pets, and so much more! We encourage you to make realistic yet sensible decisions to get the most out of this simulation.

If you run out of money during the simulation, please consider going back and changing some choices, or refresh your browser to restart!

Have fun, and we'll update your monthly budget as you go!

Let's start by looking at homes that have recently been for sale.

Next, you'll choose what tier of utilities and communications services you would like to utilize.

Who doesn't enjoy a good meal? Now is the time to determine what breakfast, lunch and dinner will look like within your home!

While in most cases education has a positive return on investment, the vast majority of graduates must be prepared to repay student loans. Below you will see your repayment options based on the degree required for your occupation. Notice that while you may choose to pay less monthly over a longer duration, it will increase the total amount repaid with interest.

Child care is a major expense of young families across the country. Below is what you can expect to pay for child care monthly based on the size of your family.

Purchasing a vehicle is a major decision. It can be accompanied by feelings ranging from joy to anxiety to accomplishment. In addition to this, there are a lot of expenses to consider. Let's start with the cost to purchase the vehicle, and we'll talk about insurance later.

Your home is likely the most valuable purchase you will make in your lifetime. It is important to have insurance to protect your investment from unforeseen damages.

Just like you want to insurance and protect your home, you'll do the same with your vehicle. Auto insurance comes with multiple levels ranging from liability insurance all the way to full coverage. Full coverage is required while paying off a vehicle and is reflected below.

Sometimes in life, we experience things that we weren't necessarily planning for. These can put a big dent in the monthly budget. For this simulation, we'll let you pick the unforeseen circumstance putting a wrench in your budget.

Healthcare is a must for all families. Below are some typical expenses one will incur before considering any healthcare insurance costs. 

Who doesn't enjoy new jeans or a fresh pair of shoes? In this section, you'll choose what type of budget you would like to allocate to dressing yourself and your family.

Everyone needs a little bit of fun. What kind of entertainment are you able to afford?

Let's see how much you'll likely spend on gift giving and holiday spending.

Owning a pet is a great way to reduce stress, great companionship, and add a little entertainment to your daily life. Pets also come with a wide range of responsibilities and costs. Below, you'll select if having a pet is right for you!

At this point, you've covered all your essential purchases. Now is the time to decide if you'd like to donate to any charities. Please consider causes that are important to you or help benefit others in need.

Are you an outdoor motor sport enthusiast? This optional section may be for you if the price is right.

Perhaps after all this work you're ready to go on a vacation. Let's see what options below may fit into your budget.

Now that all of your purchases have been made, your final decision is deciding how much money you have available to invest and save for future goals.

You have completed the 'Get Real!' simulation! Below is a summary of your experience:

We welcome you to retry our 'Get Real!' experience to see how your life may look with different personal and financial choices: will you choose a different occupation, will your household look different, or will you choose the same purchases?

If you have questions or concerns related to paying for college and attaining you career goals, you will be redirected to the Ferris State University university website. From there, you can schedule an appointment with your recruiter and learn more about the educational opportunities available to make your future a reality!