How Much Does College Really Cost?

By Walbert Castillo on September 12, 2014

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Let’s get straight to the point. College is not cheap and can be potentially overbearing. Not only do you have to account for the cost of tuition, but you also have to consider the miscellaneous fees that come along with college.

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“Wait, I actually have to pay for books in college?”

According to the National Association of College Stores, the typical student at a four-year public college spends about $655 annually for books, supplies and/or course material.

Purchasing books at your local university’s bookstore can be quite ridiculous. The Government Accountability Office found through a recent study that between the years of 2002 and 2013, the price of college textbooks has risen by 82 percent.

If you are trying to land a major discount, listed below are several alternative methods where you can get your hands on a textbook for class:

  • Websites like AmazoneBayHalf Price Books, etc.
  • Check out your university’s public library to borrow a textbook (Note: some libraries will not allow you to do this but instead, you have to read the book there!)
  • Ask a friend who has been in the previous class.
  • Check out Facebook. There’s bound to be a person advertising to sell their books through your college’s group page. 

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“This apartment life, though …”

Depending on the university you attend, it may be mandatory for you to live in a dormitory during your freshman year. Following freshman year, students can opt out of living in the dorms and instead live in apartments. Living in an apartment is one step away from the real world and getting a taste of that independence.

However, unless you purchase a meal plan at your university, the only outlet for getting your hands on food is taking a trip to the grocery store or eating at a restaurant. Depending on the type of individual you are, you could end up spending an average of $80 to $150 per month for groceries.

Another hidden fee that’s included with apartments are utility fees, which include air conditioning, gas, water and electricity. Students also usually set up cable and WIFI (wireless internet).

AJ Gonzales, a senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, explained how much he usually spends on utilities.

“I usually pay $120 dollars per month for utilities on a good month but if I’m using up the utilities excessively, I will be paying $150 dollars,” he said.

“I’m starving, let’s get lunch!”

Nowadays, students have a difficult time waking up early in the morning to eat breakfast. Although some college students love to think that they can, the bottom line is we’re all busy kids.

Taking this into consideration, you will get hungry by the time lunch comes around. You have three choices to eat food: head back to your apartment, make a quick stop to a fast food restaurant, or wait until your classes are over. Whatever the case, you are going to spend money.

One way you can save money is packing your lunch beforehand. Forbes states “cooking at home can reduce a price per meal from $10 or more at Chipotle to $1.50 to $2 per meal, and a student can save $200 a month in food costs as a result.”

It’s always best to cook food at your apartment the night before, keep it in your fridge and save it for the next day. Unless you wake up the next morning to cook, this would be the most reasonable thing to do.

Greek Life 101

If you’re rushing for a sorority or a fraternity, be sure to keep in mind how much you’re going to pay for your overall experience. Even if you are not living in the house for that semester, a member still has to pay for the membership fee.

Along with these fees come miscellaneous goods that people pay to advertise their Greek symbols such as apparel. You have to account for that and other expenses: recruitment fees/pledgeship fees, house fees, etc.

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According to an article on Unigo touching upon Greek life and saving money:

“The cost of living may fluctuate each year based on the total number of live-ins, similar to how your rent can fluctuate based on the number of roommates you have. So, if more members lived in the house, the bill amount was lower.”

“Where am I going to put my car?”

It’s your first year. You drive to college. You arrive on campus. Wait, where do I put my car?

Unless you have a parking permit on campus, it is going to be extremely arduous finding a place to park without receiving a parking ticket. Because so many students bring their car to campus, there is limited space for students to park their cars. Keep in mind that bringing your car to campus involves you paying for gas as well and that can add up.

Remember, there are alternative uses for transporting from point A to point B to campus. You can always bring your bike to campus or take the bus. It’s simpler that way, plus it’s environmentally friendly.

Or, you can just leave your car at home and skip out on all of the payments.

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