<p>Just curious; if you have sent one child to an urban env. and another to a more rural one (or the same kid to two dif environments) has there been a demonstrable difference in their spending that you can attribute to the locale rather than the kid?</p>
<p>I am picturing that with the greater access to pricey passtimes it may be significantly more expensive to send your kid to college in the city so I am also curious about what your child spent per month on "fun" as well as if they were in the city or not.</p>
<p>I've only sent one so far, but anecdotal data from friends confirms your hypothesis that urban schools cost more because there are many more venues to spend money. My kid (who is fairly frugal anyway) spends very little, especially because his rural school also provides laundry, printing, health center stays, summer storage for no cost. (Some schools charge for all of the previous.) I think the big differentials (urban or rural) are in the extent to which the kid travels (home or elsewhere) on weekends--or whether they are involved in on-campus community events. Rural campuses often create more on-campus activity life than urban/suburban schools and those activities are usually free. But if your kid comes home mid-term, the travel from more remote locations could eat up the differential.</p>
<p>I think it can depend a lot of the kid. I never went clubbing - I did go to restaurants. At Harvard there were so many movies and dances on classes I never felt the need to look further. I did go to Boston museums from time to time and ate out some. There was a place to have coffee that was very popular. In NY I probably spent more. Fewer movies that I knew about on campus. But I usually took the Met's "you can pay whatever you like" literally. (I make up for it now that I'm not a starving student!) </p>
<p>I actually spent more on commuter flights to NH the years I was at Columbia, because I had such a cliquish class I ended up visiting my brother and best friend more often than I would normally have.</p>
<p>depending on city- I think city could be less expensive.
My daughter living in Portland paid for her personal expenses, books & most transportation out of her 10 hr a week work study job.
Public transportation was a criteria, shopping involved free clothing from the " bins" & many inexpensive places to eat that served the urban college population ( and others)</p>
<p>Her school had many student organizations that funded activities and as an urban area, was popular with speakers & musicians who appeared on campus.</p>
<p>I don't think she left the campus that much- but for me- just knowing that you could easily get outside the bubble under your own power, is more liberating than feeling like you have to have your own transportation</p>
<p>Although there are exceptions, for the most part,the more there is to do and buy in a city, the more a student, or anyone, for that matter is going to spend. Particularly, if the city is used as an extension or is a major part of the student's life. When you are talking about a school like NYU, it is very difficult not to be tempted by the embarrassment of riches and possibilities that NYC offers. If you are in Gambier, Ohio, or University Park, PA, most of the action tends to be on campus where prices are scaled for student budgets. I know that friends of ours spend a small fortune, as most folks do, when they visit NYC. They are there to see their daughter, true, but it's hard to resist that Broadway show, or great restaurant, or to do some high powered shopping. Heck, forget the high powered part, just shopping bargains in NYC can add up fast. When I visit my son in Buffalo, we usually go to the student haunts which are cheap, and go to campus events. Prices are a heck of a lot cheaper there as well. </p>
<p>It's hard budgeting for these high priced cities. On one hand you want your kid to be checking out all of these possibilities and exploring their surroundings. But when it's Manhattan, or DC, or Boston, the tabs can add up very quickly. Oh, the marvelous opportunities, but, oh the cost.</p>
<p>I really disagree there is more to do in a city. To me the activities are just different and if you grew up in an urban or even suburban area you don't see the things to do in many rural areas. It hinges on the type of activities you like (I will admit some rural areas are much better than others for outdoor recreation though). I will take a high mountain hike over an amusement park or shopping anyday.</p>
<p>I do agree the things in the urban environment tend to cost more money.</p>
<p>I have one son in LA and another in a small town in Oregon (50,000). LA is Disneyland, Comedy clubs, Beach, Sports tickets, etc. Things get fairly expensive at times for this son. Oregon is kayaking the river, camping in the mountains, movies, and driving to the beach.</p>
<p>Both sons have plenty to do and are not lacking for activities but the one in Oregon is spending considerably less money.</p>
<p>I will take a high mountain hike over an amusement park or shopping anyday.</p>
<p>I like the outdoors- I better, I am a landscaper ;)
but there are many times when I would rather be indoors in this climate-
I think one of the reason why my kids prefer cities to rural, is because it can be very pleasant to go to the neighborhood coffee shop and sit all day with a pot of tea, next to a fire while studying when it is nasty outside.</p>
<p>a lot depends on the school, my nieces attended a school in a rural area- difficult to get to airport, difficult for housing for parents when visiting, some things to do on campus ( or with the frats that were forced off campus).
However, they didn't drink ( at all & didn't want to be around people that did) & they found that cut into their social life.</p>
<p>I think it depends on the kid and his fellow students.
My child at Univ of the Pacific which is an expensive private school spent very little money. For the most part he and his friends ate all their meals on campus. He participated in intermural sports and used the sports center and those were free. He went to a few concerts that were also free or of minimal cost. Most of his classmates were on some form of financial aid and few had money for meals out or outside entertainment.
My other child went to the Univ of Denver. Her school was less expensive tuition wise but she felt her classmates spent much for money on outside entertainment. Her roommates rarely ate on campus and she found she either went to the cafeteria alone or spent more money eating out then she would have liked. The economic level of the students seemed higher. More shopping, skiing and going out to hear music or to clubs.
I would consider both schools suburban.
It might also be a male/female thing. My son spent a summer in NYC and did not spend much money. My girls would be a totally different story.</p>
<p>Mom60, it's a personality thing. My boys can spend a lot of money in NYC. They don't as much in the suburbs or smaller cities or rural areas. There is just so much to do in a big city. Smaller cities, towns tend to shut down late at night which is when these vampires like to come out. If a campus is the most happening place in the area, the kids tend to stay on it, and not spend as much money since many of the activities are free or cost little.</p>
<p>One kid at school in a pricey large city - unfortunately also not the best with money. I fear much of her job money went to clothes and apple-tinis. She could have lived cheaper but loved cute shoes.<br>
Other kid at rural school where almost everything is included. Snowboard lift tickets are dirt cheap. Entertainment, laundry, health care, etc are virtually free and nobody sells fancy drinks to minors.
How can you make a matrix for fair comparison?</p>
<p>I would think the expenses balance out. While students in more urban schools may spend more money on entertainment/restaurants, the travel costs associated with more remote schools can make up the difference quickly. It's often harder to find reasonably priced flights , etc.</p>
<p>My son just finished his first year at the University of Denver , a pricey private school , and never spent his entire $200/month allowance. There was a lot to do for free or inexpensively on campus. Students can ride the light rail for free. He and his friends would often go downtown or to LoDo for dinner, etc--and find ways to do so without breaking the bank. Students also get price breaks on things like tickets to sporting events, movies etc. He bought a multi-resort pass for wintersports at REI but only used it a few times because he found he spent too much at the resorts on food,etc, so he limited himself to about once a month.</p>
<p>If your kid is willing to work, there are a lot more opportunities for earning money at an urban college. My d. is in in NY and has multiple sources of potential income beyond her work study job. So yes there is more to spend money on.... but it can all work out fine. (I don't give my d. any sort of spending money -- so it really is up to her to make whatever lifestyle choices she is comfortable with.)</p>