Accurate Assessment of Total Cost for BS

Our DD was accepted to several BS. We are full pay. While tuition is not the ultimate factor, it is a consideration. I want to make sure that we are comparing apples to apples. If BS is anything like our DD’s current private day school, tuition is a starting point. Each year, I suspect that we spend several thousand dollars more on extras some of which one would generally expect to be included in tuition–field trips, team sports fees, technology fees, mandatory laptop purchase (from school), books, and various other things that crop up throughout the year. I assume to some degree BS is similar. I would really appreciate hearing from parents of current students regarding the costs of tuition versus overall costs at various schools: Exeter, Groton, Choate, Hotchkiss, Dearfield, and SPS. I realize that we will receive some of this information on revisit days, but I am trying to get a real life assessment as well. Thanks so much!

This thread was started a couple days ago and should cover what you’re asking…

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/2129965-costs-beyond-tuition-what-to-plan-for.html#latest

This also likely varies, depending on the specific school.

My kids have attended different independent schools for middle school. One has had no costs in addition to tuition, other than a laptop. Anything done through the school was included in tuition, including books, school supplies, sports, music, field trips, extracurricular clubs, etc., including participating in competitions with entrance fees, etc. Literally no additional costs.

Another private middle school charged separately for each of those things, except books and school supplies - those were also included. Afterschool activities had additional fees. Competitions had additional fees. Field trips had additional fees. Those things, other than field trips, were all optional, I guess, so parents paid extra for their kids to participate in them.