| When it comes to college, no matter how well you financially plan for your college-bound teen, things are going to come up and they will contact you for extra money. These are all the little extras that the admissions office “forgot” to tell you or were not listed in that glossy college brochure under college cost section. And all the little extras can add up fast Moms and Dads, with you paying several thousands of dollars extra for college that you were not prepared to pay. Here are some of the most common to you should start budgeting for while you are considering schools for your college-bound senior:
Expensive Majors
All college majors are not considered financially equal. Your student may have to pay extra for lab fees for using computer rooms. There may be additional costs for art supplies or practice room time if your student is in the performing arts.
Dorm Room
Most colleges will show the size of the dorm room on their website. Give some thought as to the items you are really going to need and find out if storage off campus is available for additional items.
Computer Expenses
Laptops can crash and burn just like any other electrical appliance, get lost or stolen, and the replacement cost can range from $600 to $1000 depending on all the extra features your student needs. And don’t forget to add in extra costs for paper, toner, printers, and paying for extra disk space.
Books, Supplies, and Software
Books paper, notebooks, pencils, these items all add up. Your student may also be required to purchase special software for classes or be charged for online classes.
Eating off-campus
You spend thousands of dollars for a meal plan and your student still wants to eat off-campus! It happens. Plan on your teen wanting to make coffee runs for $5 lattes and eating $10 pizza slices with their friends when they go out.
Having Fun
You want your teen to take advantage of the social life of the university, but concerts, special events, sports events, movies, and ticket costs can add up to hundreds of dollars per month. Set a budget with your teen.
College Career Strategist Elizabeth Venturini provides personal college admissions help to stressed out parents in the Desert Cities who want THE BEST college and career choices. If you would like to learn more, get in touch with Elizabeth at [email protected] and get your free copy of “54 Tips to Set the Stage so Your Teen Launches Fabulously from College.” |
