<p>Usually the big chunk that hits our pockets is tuition followed by housing and meals and then books, but it doesnt end there, some colleges other services cost more than you think and their cost raise faster than tuition. As an example I will show my Ss first choice, Internet next semester will cost $ 105 more than fall semester, the mandatory health insurance (no waiver allowed) goes to $ 700 plus a high deductible, high co-pay, low coverage; some classes besides the books use a web service for another $ 30 to $45 more, and we are not talking about parking with three in college next year that would be a luxury unaffordable.
How does your college with these extra fees?</p>
<p>The only charges are R&B, tuition, textbook costs, and an internet fee of $60 (for the semester). We did pay $140 for a one time fee to cover costs of freshman orientation. That is it. Absolutely, nickel and diming (hardly pennies these days), adds up to a lot more money billed.</p>
<p>Do they call you to ask for a donation while you are paying for all of this?;)</p>
<p>First semester charges:</p>
<p>Tuition: $16,400
Housing: $2,895
Meal Plan: $2,074
Matriculation Fee (One-time): $360
Activity Fee: $131
Public Transportation Fee: $25</p>
<h2>Student Technology Fee: $213</h2>
<p>Total: $22,098</p>
<p>The last three total $369 per semester, or $738 per year.</p>
<p>Health Insurance would have been $620, but that can be waived if you have your own.</p>
<p>Books were $700, though, but not billed to student account. A big chunk of that was for a 1-semester intro chem course.</p>
<p>Northeastmom, as a matter of fact, they did, not for the ones there are in college but for my graduated S, and I told them that I had to cut down the dollars’ trees tired of phone calls asking me for those leaves.</p>
<p>Charges per semester
Tuition 17,250
Room 4,279
Meals 1,965
Health 340 + 350 (deductible) mandatory; 0% prescriptions allowance; 40 bandages, 15 co-pay, 25 women’s health, flu shots and other vaccines more $$$$
Activity 173
Internet 240
Books pray to get used ones
Phone extra- no mandatory
Web access some classes 30 to 45 + books</p>
<p>You are paying 480/year for one child for the internet! Wow! I have a friend who is a college professor. He warned me to look for "fees". He warned me that the nickel and diming that some schools do adds up to a lot of money! </p>
<p>I received one fund raising call last year. I can hardly pay my efc.</p>
<p>Hidden fees are a serious problem at state schools. In MA, there's a full tuition scholarship to any state college or university for kids who score a certain level on the statewide test required for graduation from high school. Sounds good, right? UMass Amherst costs about $10,000/year in tuition and fees. But the "tuition", and hence the scholarship, is actually only about $2,000 (they don't even list it anymore on their website). That way, the state can say that they've kept tuition low, but fees have completely outstripped that cost.</p>
<p>I felt so bad after reading this thread. </p>
<p>During our drive to her piano lesson last night, I had a quick conversation with DD. She works so hard to get good grades, decent standard test scores, and excellent E/C. However, even if she got into the school she really like to attend, we may not be able to send her there w/o significant merit aid.</p>
<p>Seeing how very hard she works on all fronts and how much she really like to get into certain program in certain U. It just broke my heart that we don't have the money to send her. </p>
<p>At the same time, DD told me about other students in her HS that do not need a penny for any aid. "she could go to any U forever and never worry about money". Other than winning a big lottory, my income will not come close of even paying $30000 a year after tax.</p>
<p>Dad 2 needs to consider another perspective, offered from this dad. Our gift to our son was a certain dollar amount wife and I felt we were able to give. Contrary to schools' sales pitch, it is not an investment for parents. It is a gift to child. If it were an investment I'd expect a profit on my money.
Our son knew what we could chip in, and looked for schools. If our gift covered it, great, if not, he makes up the difference.
I suggest you don't let the student, soon to be an adult, dictate to you what gift you must give. Do what you are comfortable with and let the student make up the difference.</p>
<p>Kings of the "Fees Race" - as I understand it, the UC system doesn't charge tuition to residents of California. But the fees at UCLA will top $7000 this year.
That's before they get to the nickel and dime stuff like internet and insurance.</p>
<p>Dad II, you might find this link interesting. Roger Dooley posted it on the Financial Aid page. There ARE ways to pay for school, but they may require an adjustment in thinking.</p>
<p>Thanks, MOT, but not thanks. I don't know much about community college so I would not make any comment on that one. </p>
<p>Our situation is not all that bad per se. DD has received several great offers from tier 3 and tier 4 nationally ranked universities. But those letters goes directly to the trash can. At least we are pretty sure she could get into the honor program at flag state U which may cost my two months take home. </p>
<p>A college education is not simply what a student learns in a class room. A good college experiences builds social skills and network. I don't know much about the language to discripe what I want to say. Basically, many times the college life will help mold a person's life style.</p>
<p>Let alone the research opportunities at major universities. </p>
<p>I have had teh honor to work in the world most respected company. Comparing to other places I have also worked, the overal experiences are just totally different. I would dare to say that chemistry 101 may not be taught different in golden gate state comminity C or Harvard. But a student's interaction among other students and and nobel prized professors will difinitely an experience students at community college will miss.</p>
<p>Dad II, guess where I'll be doing a lot of shopping to pay for private tuition. See my screen name.</p>
<p>DadII, you wrote:
"I would dare to say that chemistry 101 may not be taught different in golden gate state comminity C or Harvard. But a student's interaction among other students and and nobel prized professors will difinitely an experience students at community college will miss."</p>
<p>You might be surprised how limited that "interaction with Nobel-prized professors" might be. Check the threads about foreign TAs who can not speak English and do not care about their teaching jobs. The main goal of the undergraduate education is to set solid foundations for the future, and in sciences "the future" usually means going to graduate school before diving into the realities of academic or corporate careers. Graduate school is where such "interactions" do take place. </p>
<p>Here in the Seattle area we have great community colleges with faculty dedicated to teaching, and I've met a few brilliant kids who decided to save a few bucks and spent their first two years at local community colleges and then transfer to big research schools. One lady now is a junior at USC, another is pursuing research at U-Dub, a third, a college junior, is ready to submit his first paper to a well-respected peer-reviewed journal.</p>
<p>Our family is lucky enough to afford our EFCs with only a minor stretch, so my kids can pursue whatever route they choose. We are also lucky to have two big state research Us nearby. However, having a number of good CCs nearby can be very handy. D's friend who got into one of those big Us had to take a quarter of math at a local CC because his big state U classes filled up too fast. He was surprised to get a lot of personal attention from the teacher in his small CC class!</p>
<p>Sorry for straying off-topic.</p>