<p>I chose to live at home for college, and my freshman year starts now in the fall, i checked online and it gave me my cost of attendance which included transportation, living expenses, Tuition and Fees, and Book and Supplies, my question is why do i have to pay living expenses and transportation, since im going to be living at home with my parents ?</p>
<p>You don’t have to PAY anything you don’t choose to or don’t need to; schools use an “average” budget to determine how much aid you can get, including loans and other forms of funds. Transportation is an estimated sum that would get you to & from campus–even if you commute, you will likely expend some funds getting there & back (unless it’s walking distance and you just walk back & forth).</p>
<p>That i understand, so since my pell grant and HOPE scholarship cover my Tutition and Fees and Books and Supplies, i dont need to pay straight up for the rest, because from my knowledge i need to pay the total sum in august, and the fees are confusing me</p>
<p>You don’t pay the “total COA” in August. And, no one pays total COA to the school.</p>
<p>First of all, you pay by the semester (or quarter). So, in August, you’ll “pay” the school for tuition and fees using Hope and Pell (if you have any leftover money from Pell, the school will issue you a check). You can buy your books wherever you want…online, Used Textbook stores, school book store. You can buy your supplies anywhere you want or use supplies that you already have.</p>
<p>You will not be giving your school money for a meal plan (unless frosh are req’t to buy a meal plan even if they aren’t living on campus), you won’t be giving your school money for housing, and you won’t be giving your school money for personal expenses or transportation (except to buy a parking permit).</p>
<p>What is confusing about “fees”…Mostly all schools have fees of various sorts. Some have Activity fees, health fees, Rec Center fees, Lab fees, Technology fees, etc. Typically you have to pay those fees even if you’re not going to live on campus.</p>
<p>Thank you so much, i was getting worried there, i appreciate the responses =]</p>