College Expenses

[monarchsfan16]

I guess we got really lucky. My orientation was free. I went to the one day session (45 minutes from home) so there was no overnight required, but even if there had been it would have been free for me, and $40 (I think) per parent. I think dad would have had to pay $5 or $10 for lunch, but he chose to use his lunch break to go pick up tiles he had ordered a week before from a nearby store and he grabbed McDonald's food on his way back to campus. My dad chose not to buy my laptop through the school and he got a much better laptop at a much cheaper price (under 1000). I inherited his printer, and the only software I had to buy the school sold as a license agreement for $99.
The place where my family really gets cleared out is sports tickets. And that was only one football game and one hockey game this year. They came over for family weekend (well, one day of it because we live so close) to go to a football game. My ticket was free, but for the 4 of them it was $42. In January we went to a hockey game between my school and Dartmouth. Since it wasn't at school my ticket wasn't free. Over $100 for the five of us, but mom has already told me to be in line the day tickets go on sale this year so it must have been worth it. Mom's also guilty of ordering all the care packages that are put together by the school. To be honest, I'd rather have her just send homemade food. We'll work on that this year (I'll be a sophomore). They also come up to take me out to dinner occasionally (like I said, we live close) so that's more money. But they always offer... I'm sure gas is expensive. I go home roughly every 2-3 weeks. First semester it was only for birthdays and holidays, but they were timed that frequently. But my mom hasn't told me to cut back or anything. Heck we have two months before school starts and she's already asking me to come home Labor day weekend this year (I didn't last year)
I do NOT get any kind of allowance. I pay for everything, books ($300-400 a semester), movie nights, and anything else I might buy. Mom usually will pay me back for medicine and that sort of thing. She's also really good about taking me shopping whenever I'm home for anything I might need. But I've learned to be really frugal. I only buy what I need, so it's worked out well for me. I only have to work part time this summer. I actually could have made it through next year on what's left in my checking account, but mom told me I have to work. Thankfully I don't need a car on campus (wicked good transportation system that doesn't cost extra) so I won't have a gas bill or ($350) parking permit to buy.

 

[Lynn CC]

We did the parent Orientation and Move-In Weekend with Convocation last year for DS. We stayed in Boston for 3 nights each time. It was worth it though for all of us, it's like that last involvement that they allow parents to become part of the whole experience. We loved every minute of it.
We didn't go to parents weekend in Oct. because we've already done all the activites with DS in Boston and he wasn't interested in doing the walking tours, restaurant tastings, Duck Tours etc. again.

Did you know that DS's University charged a one time freshman activities fee of $95 weather or not they participate in anything or not. I wonder if they will charge one their sophomore year? My guess is they will! Lab fees, activites fee and damage deposits are about all he was charged. It was reasonable.
Next come Texbooks, they can be quite pricey, even if you buy used. If you can get the ISB #'s of the exact books they need Half.Com is a great way to buy and sell texbooks. DS buys his at the Campus Bookstore before classes begin, then he sells them on half.com after he's done with them. He got quite a bit more than the campus store was willing to give him for buy back day, and he sold them ALL in less than 2 weeks.

Good Luck to All Your Young Adults just starting out and Parents too!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

DD will be a sophmore this year and we are planning at least 2 college visits at Texas A&M and University of Austin.
So already is costing us $$$$.

So far these colleges have mandatory student orientation as far as I can see. They also have some student run things to attend if you accept early.

Good Luck to your DD!!!!

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

Speaking of college costs, what is your experience with college allowances? I thought I'd give DD a budget of $6000 for the year, or $500 a month. I'd put in $4000 and expect her to earn the other $2000. She's well on the way with a summer job and some previous savings, so that should be very doable for her. If she overspends, I figured she'd run out of money during the summer months next year, and have the opportunity to work more then. If she saves, she's ahead of the game for next year.

Does that seem like a reasonable amount? I'd want her to cover everything mentioned above, unless it was a gift basket from me!!! Plus commuting expenses (she'll be driving back and forth on holidays. etc), clothes, dues and anything else that comes up. What have others done???

Wow! You have a lucky DD. I took out many loans for college. Anything tuition that I couldn't afford, my parents paid but I have to pay them back. All other expenses were paid for by me. Laundry, food, books, entertainment, I paid for it all. I also had to furnish my own dorm room.

I don't think your DD will need that much money. Outside food near college campuses is usually reasonable priced. We had two pizza places by us that had $1/slice pizza. Laundry was costly if you did your laundry too often. Ours were $1 a load for washing and drying. Then my senior year they upped that to $1.25/load each. Now books, those were expensive! I was up to about $500 a semester, with books that I couldn't sell back!

My college loved hidden costs! Everyone had to have a laptop. When I attended you had to purchase the laptop from them. That was $4000. Then you had to pay the technology fee at about $80. The university fee of $500. $100 new student orientation fee. You want your diploma? That's another $300. You know that laptop you bought? Want to keep it? Give us another $1. Yes, one dollar. They never charged me for that, thank goodness. I was ready to pay them in pennies.

 

[LiteBrite]

at least $3,000 every month on a credit card for groceries, personal expenses, etc

Are you kidding me? $3000 a month? Are there perhaps one too many zeros in that number?

 

[lillygator]

thank goodness we have 529's as well as the prepaid tuition! I can only imagine what this will be in 18-20 years!

and yes - get your textbooks ONLINE!

 

[sajetto]

Are you kidding me? $3000 a month? Are there perhaps one too many zeros in that number?

$300 are YOU serious?

Actually I many times spent more. The most in one month was double that amount. If I took away one zero I wouln't have been able to survive off of $300 dollars. Remember, I wasn't allowed to have a job.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Oh yes my school has loads of fees
Athletic fees (pays for tickets for us for every single game on campus)
Activity fees (covers the stuff that happens on campus so it costs us very little or nothing out of pocket)-this helps get us free movie previews, game show dinners, stress relief nights, really cheap movies in the student union building, etc
technology fees (covers the projectors and any other technology in the classroom)
And I'm sure there are others
Plus first semester there's a "mandatory new admit" fee
English classes all have a writing fee that covers photocopies that are made since it's a "writing workshop" and everyone's work gets shared
Lab fees
Some other classes have random fees tacked on too

All of these are rolled into tuition, so unless you don't scrutinize the bill you don't notice

 

[Lynn CC]

I think $300 a month allowance is what DS will be getting his sophomore year. Everything else is paid for so I think he should be able to budget the $300. If he wants to go to the symphony or buy some other tickets or doctor visit co-pays etc... he has a CC he can charge on...guess who gets the monthly statement! LOL

No Job for him either while he's in college...got to keep up that GPA so he gets his merit scholarship renewed!! So Far So Good!

 

[sajetto]

I think $300 a month allowance is what DS will be getting his sophomore year. Everything else is paid for so I think he should be able to budget the $300. If he wants to go to the symphony or buy some other tickets or doctor visit co-pays etc... he has a CC he can charge on...guess who gets the monthly statement! LOL

No Job for him either while he's in college...got to keep up that GPA so he gets his merit scholarship renewed!! So Far So Good!

Except for what was listed that my parents already took care of EVERYTHING was charged to the credit card so I didn't get cash very often. Anything from razors, presriptions, doctor visits, furnishing, and ball game tickets were charged to that card.

My scholarship was also dependent on my GPA and full time status. I never slipped once because I knew how much was riding on it. I'm sure your son knows he's got to keep up the good work in order to enjoy his college life

 

[tiff13]

Speaking of college costs, what is your experience with college allowances? I thought I'd give DD a budget of $6000 for the year, or $500 a month. I'd put in $4000 and expect her to earn the other $2000.

Will you adopt me?

My parents are baffled over the $3500 international tuition.
I didn't think it was that bad considering I will be working part-time plus savings, and I won't/have never made car payments.

 

[Towncrier]

I feel your pain. And a whole lot sooner, too. We drop our DS James off at college this Sunday. He is in an accelerated degree program and should have is Bachelor of Science degree in just 27 months. We've already paid summer tuition and room and board. By the time he graduates from undergrad studies, DD Sarah will be entering college.

Did I mention that James is heading for medical school right after he graduates? We have a Disney trip planned in two weeks and are seriously considering selling our DVC timeshare in order to make ends meet. Oh the joys of parenthood.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Move-in weekends???? WHAT??!!??!! Holy crap, my mom slowed down the car and threw me and my stuff out. And you know what? I liked it that way. I couldn't imagine her hanging aound for a weekend. In fact, I took early admission so I could start in the summer. Ahhhh college, how I miss it, except for the nightmares I still have about finals.

Anyway, yes there are a lot of "hidden" fees. I can't remember what my mother gave me each month. She paid for EVERYTHING that my grants and workstudy didn't cover the first two years. The next two I was responsible for everything that my grants and workstudy didn't cover. I did so much better the sememsters I was paying for. I think a child needs to do a little of their own investment in their education.

 

[JimboInLimbo]

Great, something more to look forward to next year.
Wonder if I can just marry them off. I'll give a dowery. Could be cheaper

 

[Snowysmom]

Welcome to the world of crazy college finances. UMass has fees like crazy. My DS has an academic tuition waiver but that only amounts to about one tenth of the cost for the year. Students hear tuition waiver and they get excited but wait until you see the fees, room and board, and other items. DS works fulltime during the summer and as an EMT during the year at school. He pays for his books and discretionary spending. And because he wants to live at a new, expensive dorm this year, he is paying for half of the difference for the room. The good news is his suite has a kitchen and he will cook (or actually heat up) alot of meals. He has so far maintained a 3.996 GPA and will be a senior next year. He is applying to medical schools this summer. Add to that another DS who will be applying to colleges in the fall and we will be a bit cash challenged and crazy by the end of next school year. I'll need that full time job by the time this is over! I only work part time now and it won't be enough! Good luck to all!

 

[DVCLiz]

I seem to be having trouble posting again. I wrote a post a while ago, but it doesn't seem to have shown up!!!

Looks like I overestimated - so thanks for saving me some money!!!!

Maybe I'll match what she earns - that would still be pretty generous. Or, I might give her the responsibility of paying for her books with her allowance, which would eat up about $1000 of that amount. I was also figuring that the summer expenses for next year would need to come out of this budget.

She won't be getting a $3000 credt card per month, that's for sure!!!! Sajetto, you were a lucky girl!!!

Thanks for all the informative replies...

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

Move-in weekends???? WHAT??!!??!! Holy crap, my mom slowed down the car and threw me and my stuff out. And you know what? I liked it that way. I couldn't imagine her hanging aound for a weekend. In fact, I took early admission so I could start in the summer. Ahhhh college, how I miss it, except for the nightmares I still have about finals.

That's about what my parents also did. I went to school in Brooklyn. The dorm was on a tiny one way street. The school "parking lot" only held about 6 cars. So moving in was NUTS! (6 parking spots, a one way street with no parking, and 400 students! ) My parents basically unpacked the car, brought my stuff to my room, stayed for 10 minutes and left.

Maybe I'll match what she earns - that would still be pretty generous. Or, I might give her the responsibility of paying for her books with her allowance, which would eat up about $1000 of that amount.

She might not even need that much for books her first year or two. My first year I spent about $300 a semester on books. All new ones too. If you get to the book store early you can get used books for much cheaper. (Just be careful, some are more than used. They are down right dead.) My last 3 semesters I spent $500 each semester on books. It was crazy! But I am an engineer. Those books change so often that you can't get used books.

 

[musicotb]

I can't imagine where all these extra expenses come from! And how on earth can one college spend $3000 in a month on miscellaneous expenses? Gosh, I am almost 24 and now in graduate school. Including rent, utilities, cell phone, cable, grocery money, gas money, car payment, car insurance, and I give myself $75 a week for miscellaneous (movies, eating out, clothes, EVERYTHING)... that's less than $1800 a month. And my boyfriend and I divvy up the household costs! so oh my goodness. Maybe I should consider myself blessed for knowing how to live on a tight budget!!!!!!

 

[Cindy B]

I'm a new minted mid junior after taking a few courses here and there at a local community college and transferring over to a university.

After courses here and there, I am a mid junior--how shocking to see that I chose carefully and I was able to get things completed.

As for costs, as an independent student (old married lady with family) I have other costs such as mortgage, food, my own children expenses.

I also commute and just had my one day commutable orientation. I didn't have to pay for myself. The classes itself will be a bit of a bear financially, but I am getting some state aid. Unfortunately, I don't have an outstanding GPA so some scholarship options were limited. (3.4 avg instead of 3.5 or higher) I only work part time as a substitute teacher.

I can still take 3 more classes at the community college and transfer them.

Since I know that I really only have one year left, I can swallow the cost for one year and take a loan for one year. Then I have student teaching and I am done!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Speaking of college costs, what is your experience with college allowances? I thought I'd give DD a budget of $6000 for the year, or $500 a month.

WOW!! Allowance ended at graduation. We pay for DD's tuition, room and board, and books. If she wants fun money she had better earn it in her summer job. She made $1700 last summer and it lasted all year.

This fall we have 2 in college, luckily only 80 miles away. We have orientation this coming week but the hotel for 2 nights is only about $200. And this is a suburb of DC.

Out hidden cost is the $400 for season football tickets we had to buy to watch DD play in the marching band, and that is for the discounted parent seats.