<p>OK. The bright excitement of early admission success has subsided. The dark reality of paying to send our son to Davidson has set in. So we've decided to prepare a budget/cashflow. We can estimate the big basics (tuition, room & board) and airfare (from California - ouch). But we need some help on (i) books, and (ii) personal expenses. We can't find anything on DC's website that helps. What should one expect to spend each semester on books. What is a reasonable estimate for a DC freshman (without a car) to spend on incidentals (excluding the "setup" costs - laptop, room stuff, etc.)? Thanks for your help.</p>
<p>Not to make the reality more dim...but</p>
<p>I have found books are running around $500 a semester, but if your son orders his books online he can save a bundle. I saved 490 dollars this semester buying my books online, I still spent quite a bit but my classes had many more books this semester.
Setup was a big expense by the time I bought a mattress pad, sheets, decorations, curtains, refrigerator, microwave, organizational items, etc. I probably spent around $1000, but I am also a girl and my room is extremely decorated. I know plenty of people who spent significantly less but also those who spent a lot more. So those expenses are largely what you make of them.
I also ended up buying a mac laptop when coming and that wasn't so cheap, but I got a free printer and Ipod with it.
Personal expenses are also largely what you make of them. I would estimate a low budget to be at least 1500 dollars a year. This would include any groceries that he wants in his room, plus people typically want to attend events that can become costly, if he joins a fraternity it will be higher, and small outings to Starbucks and the Brick House can add up overtime. </p>
<p>I hope this has been somewhat helpful, but books and personal expenses vary drastically between people. I just asked a few people on my hall and the general consensus is that 800-1000 dollars should be good for setup, not including a laptop and that 1500-2000 would be a reasonable estimate for during the year expenses, and around 1000 for books a year. So according to a random sampling of my hall, estimate around 4000 dollars on top of tuition, room and board.</p>
<p>Sorry that was so lengthy and best wishes!</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. That was very helpful. Thanks for checking with some of your fellow students. That's the best intelligence anyone could ask for.</p>
<p>Hmm I think books for the year at 1000 is accurate espeacially if one has to buy a TI 89 calculator as most freshman taking their math credit need and they are wonderful calculators. Without joining a frat, and on a full meal plan as all freshamn start with, without a car to pay insurance or gas money on, incidental expenses should be about 500 a year. If you book early enough airfare from California shouldn't be more than 400 roundtrip each time you go home. You typically go home between 2 and 4 times per year, at the end of each semester, and Thanksgiving or spring break. As a freshman I didn't spend 1,000 on my room but I can see how it would be possible. Most people get a fridge for 100 and I guess the big variable is how much you spend on a tv. I think you can get a good a tv for 600. But bear in mind that most rooms at Davidson have one tv between the roommates, some will have 2 but also some will have none and it just depends on your preferences for watching tv. There is always a tv in the hall's lounge. OK and many roommate pairs also get a futon at say 200. Then carpeting (depending on which dorm you are in) or a microwave depending again on your preferences might be another 100. One shouldn't need a printer its really not out of your way to print things on school printers at the Union, Library or a computing lab. You will also probably want some posters and other random items. These are all very nice things to have but you can make do without them. Davidson's estimate of personal expenses is 1200 which is the combined cost of setup and extraneous expenses this came from my financial aid award letter. I hope this shows to some degree what you will be spending money on and how much. Let me know if any of this is confusing. </p>
<p>Orangelights</p>
<p>I've asked my brother, a currently abroad Davidson student and should hear back in the next few days.</p>
<p>This response seems to be in line with the others...
Books - $300/semester, depends on major (he's Classics), save money by asking professor for syllabus and ordering online
As for setting up a dorm room, orangelights was spot on.
My brother is a pretty frugal individual and said that a few hundred dollars for incidentals would be plenty if one spent wisely.
Hope this helps!</p>