<p>Most activities are not covered. It’s not possible to do that without raising tuition - and in the end, middle class families will be hurt the worst as the cost goes out of their reach. So I’m not sure trying to look at explicitly stated fees in the initial packet will give a fair appraisal of the actual “net” cost of attending an individual school.</p>
<p>Students are expected to buy (or supply) their athletic equipment, their books, their materials. That means making choices. Want to play squash but can’t afford a raquet - then have to choose something else. Charges are also applied for many incidentals (for instance transportation to the band’s music performance, and clothing rental/cleaning). Which is why parents started the hidden fees thread. Parents can try to discern “net” present value by looking at mandatory fees (such as a technology fee) - but in the end, those fees end up being a drop of water in an ocean unless the student has a full scholarship that includes those things and a stipend for incidentals. For instance, at one school I spoke with, students on full aid also get a stipend to allow them to eat in the grill so they don’t feel “different” as long as they don’t go overboard. And certainly when I was attending Exeter one of my friends received music lessons - something I could not afford. If anything - the latter caused some degree of resentment among those of us who were paying partial tuition which was a hardship for our families. </p>
<p>Better to estimate the breadth of the hidden fees (for the spring break trip overseas, or the volunteer trip outside of the state, dorm fees, activity fees, prom fees, laundry fees, proximity to take-out food, etc… …) and help a student understand that life isn’t always about equal - but prioritization within a budget. Our daughter was walked through her budget before she left and as a result, has been judicious about how she allocates her funds and ours.</p>
<p>And actually - she commented that the students on her campus who have to budget carefully are doing better and are less cavalier about money than those with unlimited funds available and no one telling them “no.”</p>