Cost of actually applying to colleges.....

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Did anybody ever realize how much it costs just to apply to competitive colleges (not to mention nine or ten of them)? I know that submitting the actual applications cost me $500. </p>

<p>Anyways, what I mean to say is that isn't a bit strange that the wealthiest universities charge the most for applications? (Sending Yale's application cost me $75 while Brandeis cost me... ZERO!) I'm sure if Harvard or Yale wanted to, they could do without the $70 per student application (they probably don't even really USE the money because they get so much money just from grants.)</p>

2

<p>Well, somebody has to gouge the middle class so it might as well be Harvard and Yale.</p>

3

<p>They get lots of revenue from it. Nearly $2 million in fees, I think. They'd probably get more not-so-qualified applicants if they did. I'm beginning to think that Harvard is imposing so many hurdles for eligibility (3 subject tests, interview, 3 recs, etc.) is to limit the # applications; no matter what, the top students (the ones who get in) are going to apply -- the trick is getting all the unqualified students out of their hair.</p>

4

<p>yeah application fees to some degree screen out the uncommitted, why else do you think so many less selective colleges court extremely driven students by tempting them with waiving the application fee? Since they want to raise their average scores, removing this type of hurdle makes it easier.</p>

5

<p>Low income (or even moderate income) students often qualify for fee waivers, no?</p>

6

<p>Sure they do, but again, the cut-off for that is relatively low and leaves middle-class applicants with financial burden.</p>

7

<p>a few hundred here and i had fee waivers :D</p>