<p>On applications alone I am going to be spending just above 400 dollars. I tried to cut costs everywhere by applying to schools that offered me fee waivers and cutting schools that most likely wouldn't accepted me (i.e. the Ivies, Penn and Columbia) from my application list. I'll have to spend about another $100 on sending out my SAT scores. Why is the application process so costly? How can I save money on it? I hate looking at the application process like an extreme couponing venture, but sinking so much money into it seems unreasonable because I'm most likely paying for a school I won't end up attending or a rejection letter. </p>
<p>You’re paying someone to read and evaluate your application, usually multiple someones. Where is that $400 coming from? How many/which schools are you applying to? There’s probably room to cut some there. If not, you’ll probably end up paying that much. </p>
<p>Are the universities supposed to absorb admissions departments’ costs by increasing their tuition and fees? Should the Educational Testing Service (who, I believe, may still operates the SAT system) pay its employees (many of whom are quite educated and skilled) “starvation wages?”</p>
<p>Furthermore, many colleges and universities already operate their admissions organizations at a loss, in substantial part because they waive fees for needy applicants. While I understand undergraduate education (including the application processes) is costly, it is also YOUR incredibly VITAL life-foundation, which generally provides very large returns on your invested capital. </p>
<p>The comprehensive undergraduate admissions process requires (among a large number other things): (1) MANY well educated, highly skilled, and experienced employees (who must receive reasonable compensation, given their backgrounds); (2) a good deal of expensive travel; (3) extensive computer systems, software, and so forth; and (4) considerable overhead costs (mail/FedEx/UPS, printing/distribution of paper materials, campus real estate and its maintenance, and MUCH more).</p>
<p>While it is most unlikely that secondary school students will analyze all these expenses in a systematic, comprehensive manner, I’m sure that (were they to do so) they would agree the aggregate “admissions system” is quite costly. Since – eventually – you will benefit from this education, isn’t it only fair for you to pay for these necessary expenses? </p>
<p>Given the ease with which you can nowadays file an application with the Common App, can you imagine how many applications some places would receive if they had no or very low application fees? The fees act as check on less than serious applications but if you truly can’t afford them, then you can usually get them waived. But again, the time of having to ask for that waiver acts as a barrier to all but serious applicants. (Some places occasionally waive the fee for everyone in an attempt to increase applications and reduce acceptance rates - it almost always works, so obviously the fees do act as a filter.)</p>
<p>The fee is basically a nuisance charge - to not have one would invite all sorts of trouble, especially for popular schools.</p>
<p>The fee both covers the cost of evaluating the application and serves to filter the students applying in good faith. </p>
<p>But as more schools seek to game the USNWR rankings and elevate the perception of selectivity, increasing numbers of them are offering free application to increase the number of applicants they can reject.</p>
<p>Watch out for additional cost. Some schools may require CSS profile. My D applied to 7 schools including one with application fee waived. We spent around $700 for application, tests, scores, transcript, CSS profile etc. So I think one need to budget around $100-$120 per school application.</p>