Exactly that, what are we talking about… clothes, toiletries etc. or are they talking about the students fun money. Or are they talking about more fees and/ or money paid to the college?
Fees/money paid to the college will be listed under tuition and fees.
Schools vary in how they breakdown the categories, but other expenses typically means things like toiletries, money for laundry, food outside of a standard meal plan (pizza out, trip out for ice cream, coffee.), going to see a movie, etc.
Sometimes the COA breakdown lists things like travel in a separate line, but the bigger the misc. amount, the more things are shoved into it. If you don’t see the item listed (books, travel, personal items), assume those are in the ‘misc.’ total. I didn’t use the estimate the schools gave, as I assumed those items would cost the same no matter where my kids attended, and I just used the travel costs as I calculated them. For one child it is a $50 (now $30) tank of gas, not the $750 travel cost the school estimated, and for the other I know it is about $150/each way for airfare, times how many trips a year she makes (usually 4 one-ways)
An area where there can be a big difference in costs, and where they are often not listed, are activities. Both of my kids go to schools where all student activities are included with the ‘student fee.’ All they have to do is show their student ID to get into sporting events, into the gym, into movies and concerts and other activities. At other schools, these events cost extra. Football tickets at some schools are several hundred dollars. Joining a club can cost extra money. Printing papers or research can cost extra. It was a pleasant surprise that these things are included.
This is not always true. At S1’s college there are substantial fees to be paid to the college out of that budget. It also includes books in his case, and beyond that it is meant to be a modest budget for pretty much anything a college student will spend money on during the year. So yes, school supplies, toiletries, entertainment, extra food, ect. His travel is listed separately.
Things like fees for the wellness centers, health clinics, mandatory insurance (if you cannot prove you have private insurance), lab fees, are ancillary university fees. Other costs referenced include books, travel to get to/from campus and other personal expenses.
I took a call for a co-worker from his daughter who need a $100 that day to purchase an animal to be dissected for biology lab.
Other items probably include dinner on the weekends when the dining hall is closed, money for laundry, etc.