<p>For the past two years, I’ve been used to paying at least $1,000 for books for first semester and another several hundred dollars the second semester. Why? My daughter is a bio major/music (flute) minor. Both science and music books are incredibly expensive. Plus, she like to cram in as many hours as she possibly can, so she’s usually taking at least one more class than average.</p>
<p>Our book cost this year? After buying one with her Supe store stipend, we’re out of pocket only $107. I absolutely cannot believe it! </p>
<p>Also, since she took advantage of the offer for full cash value of her housing scholarship if she’d move off-campus, and she was refunded for housing app/deposit fees, we owe UA less than $500 for the semester. Even after paying rent, she’s actually going to MAKE money for going to school this semester! </p>
<p>So, that extra goes into the fund for study abroad expenses next semester. </p>
<p>I’ve been hoping she could choose (and be accepted for) the exchange program, since she’d just have to pay UA’s tuition which would be covered by her scholarship. But it looks like a better program for her doesn’t participate in the exchange program, so she’d have to pay tuition directly to that school, which is approximately $12-15,000. Being an in-state student, she won’t receive as much money from her tuition scholarship as an out-of-state student would. (At least, she tells me that out-of-state students receive the full amount of a semester of out-of-state tuition ($11,475) to use toward study abroad tuition. Being an in-state student, she’ll receive only $4,600.) So every little bit of extra money helps make a semester in Australia near the Great Barrier Reef a distinct possibility!</p>
<p>While I’d love to have the added value of the amount of the out-of-state scholarship, we’ve also had distinct advantages of being in-state and only a two hour drive away: we get to see her a lot during the school year. </p>
<p>Now I’m off to spend my day researching study abroad from the parent’s perspective.</p>
<p>Congrats! My D only has 1 book this semester, so that plus fees is way less as well since she’s moved into an apartment at East Edge. However, she did ask if we’d consider buying her the 50 Meal plan, so that she can do her lunches on campus, which we will consider. Good luck in your research! Roll Tide.</p>
<p>Abby lived at East Edge last year and loved it! (Got to be there with her housing scholarship.) We bought the silver meal plan, and she managed to use it all up.</p>
<p>This year, she’s decided that since most of her group of friends are living off-campus and don’t have any kind of dining plan, that she doesn’t want even the 50-meal plan. She said she won’t have any friends using the dining halls, and she doesn’t want to go in and eat alone. (This is my child who always seems to have a crowd of people trailing after her wherever she goes.)</p>
<p>She has one good friend who will be in all her bio classes with her. He’s living at The Highlands, so they just plan on going to his dorm apartment and making lunch every day. They’ll cook dinner either at the house she’ll be living in or her boyfriend’s apartment most nights. She bakes; she doesn’t cook—she has an aversion to raw meat. Thank goodness for her roommate and boyfriend who will manage to cook her some good protein from time to time in exchange for yummy baked goods!</p>
<p>On the topic of books - my D is an incoming freshman and will be taking BIO her first two semesters. We rented the the book for the semester - but now I’m wondering if there is an access code she will need for class? We didn’t think about it at the time, but since then she’s checked with her French teacher who confirmed she will need an access code for French. After searching on line - we ended up buying a new French book. Any thoughts? Othewise I’ll suggest she follow up with her BIO teacher.</p>
<p>LOL! When D sent me a text a few weeks ago on how much her books would cost I responded, “that is not bad at all.” Her response was, “NOT BAD!!!” She thought it was horrible. It is her first semester so… Compared to what DH and I paid for books 30 years ago, not bad at all. Very pleasantly surprised. Well under $1000. YEA! </p>
<p>ROLL TIDE :)</p>
<p>@blueslipper -</p>
<p>you can generally purchase the access codes separately. If an access code is needed, your D will get a website where it can be purchased from and then she can use the rented book and just buy the access code (they do tend to be pricey - the math access codes are usually around $70/semester, but it’s probably still more cost effective than buying a new book).</p>