<p>With the financial letters about to arrive, I have been thinking about $$$. The COA for 06-07 lists $1000 for books and $1,600 for personal expenses. I am wondering how reasonable this is in reality?</p>
<p>Sounds pretty reasonable. My son's expenses this year (he's at Indiana, but the courseload is fairly equivalent) was $1,100 for books and about $1,900 for personal expenses (not counting travel back to the west coast). His classes required more books than the average I'm sure (he took lots of History courses this year).</p>
<p>I should point out the largest cost by far was for his new TV, which ran about $700 (he wanted a 32" one).</p>
<p>Books for the first semester (engineering) cost me about $650, but the second semester only cost me about $150, because several of the books from the first semester were used for the second. That was a combination of used & new books. $1,000 is probably reasonable, but perhaps a little high. I had to buy several overpriced paperback-type books that were used infrequently.</p>
<p>$1,600 for personal expenses depends on how often you go out. You'll probably spend more the second semester as you get totally tired of the dining hall food and want real meat. </p>
<p>A new TV is a waste as no one really watches TV that much. Better to buy an additional monitor for your laptop. Our dorm (Old Dorms) pooled its money for a larger screen LCD for the lounge. We'll put everyone's name in a hat at the end of the year and someone will take it home.</p>
<p>Charlottesville is not an expensive city unless you have no idea what the heck is going on... $1600 a year... more than enough if you spend wisely.</p>