<p>I know you can take meals at eating clubs junior and senior year, but how much does the average eating club cost? I know financial aid can cover a portion, but let's say you have no financial aid. I heard the most expensive can go up to about $10,000, but what about the less expensive clubs?</p>
<p>Also, if you opt for an eating club, do you get money subtracted from room and board?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>To answer your easiest question first, when you eat at an eating club your board cost (running about $6-7k) is eliminated, so you are not paying the same amount to Princeton. You will still be living on campus, so your rooming price will stay the same. But you aren’t tacking the $6-10k on to your Princeton price, you are paying your club rather than Princeton. </p>
<p>All eating clubs are a little more expensive than Princeton, and I’d say the difference runs from about $2-5k. It’s really hard to tell, because the eating clubs aren’t too forthcoming about how much extra this is. It is important to note that any upperclassmen on financial aid are given a boost during the junior and senior years to help offset the eating (not social) costs of the eating clubs. If you don’t get financial aid and your parents won’t pay for it, I have heard of people that took out loans and didn’t regret a single cent, because the eating clubs are one of the most fun and rewarding aspects of Princeton’s social culture.</p>
<p>When the time comes for you to sign up for your room and board contracts you sign up for a room contract as usual but elect not to take a board plan. The cheapest clubs (Terrace, Colonial, etc) don’t cost too much more than a board plan (maybe 1.5k a year).</p>
<p>Yup, I would estimate that the most of the clubs range from $7200 to $7800ish. Terrace is probably only $6800ish.</p>