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How much did you spend on college applications?


DawnM
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$0. My DD was dual enrolled in a free lunch public school district. Test and application fees were waived. For this we were grateful as her program required her to apply to 10 schools including the local state school which was an extreme safety.

Edited by Arch at Home
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I'm not sure and am probably glad I didn't keep track.  ;)

 

It wasn't just the application fee for some schools, of course, it's sending test scores, and for a few, CSS Profile.

 

And we won't even get into time spent (on my part) looking things up and/or gathering info x minimum wage.

 

Then do we add the cost of visits?   :lol:

 

Especially later after one adds move in costs and books, I'm pretty sure "college" does its fair share of spurring the economy (without even counting tuition and fees).

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About that for my oldest 3, more than double that for my last 2, and more than triple that for those 2 if you include visits. (Not only do you need to include sending test scores but also the costs of taking them in the first place (that can be registration fees plus prep materials.) Dd visited one college that was 16 hrs from home.

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The ACTs were the biggest hit with oldest. He applied to ten schools but most free applications. But he had a few ACT score dates to send as he had a better super score than single composite and the schools either superscored or wanted all the reports. Transcripts were free for him I think.

 

Second ds had fewer applications and he knew where he might go earlier so he had sent the free scores when he took the tests and he had fewer to send at application time. Also less spent on visits. However he got charged $8 per transcript from the university he has done de at. He also applied to schools with about $100 total in application fees.

 

It is just an expensive venture especially when fishing for scholarships and aid. It's like buying a lottery ticket I suppose to spend $100 to apply to a school hoping for a big scholarship. (Of course you can be informed and make wise choices so not exactly like a lottery ticket). It is one of those spend money to make money things I guess.

 

I am generally frugal but when it came to college applications I kind of just closed my eyes and handed over my card and tried not to think too hard about what it cost. It is just one of those things there isn't much way around.

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We're still applying here but it's going to be a lot, with 2 kids starting college next year. I was surprised/a little annoyed that one college asked for a housing application fee to 'get in line' for housing. It's non-refundable and I think it's wrong to ask for that when the student doesn't know if they've been admitted.

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I was going to reply with something all smug like $50 per kid, since both of mine (so far) were one-and-dones, but then I remembered that my '18 college grad is applying to 8 Ph.D. programs, and their apps are all in the $150 range.  She has asked for application fees for Christmas.

 

 

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$380 for 12 schools; several had free applications. We also had to pay I believe $4 per transcript and +/- $13 per ACT score report. Oh, and she had five or six CSS schools as well. I won't add it all up :closedeyes:

Yes! The waiver didn’t cover transmitting ACT score reports and CSS. In addition the more selective schools, require that score reports from all ACTs taken.

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DS applied to more than 8 schools, and I don't know the amount but we definitely spent more than $500. He sent ACT scores and SAT subject test scores to every school. And all except one required the CSS profile. That stuff adds up fast! He had a few fee waivers for application fees, and I think one school had no fee, but the school fees alone were at least $400.

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I don't know. 

 

One child took 1 SAT, 1 ACT, 3 SAT IIs, did a few college visits that required overnight motel stays, and applied to three schools needed high school transcripts and DE transcripts

 

One child took needed updated psych testing to get accommodations on SAT and ACT that was over $2000 (included OT and specialized eval for dysgraphia), so he wasn't in need of the standard "extra time", but needed computer use for writing. He took SAT, ACT, 3 SAT IIs, applied to one school. Later transferred. So needed high school transcripts, DE transcripts both times plus needed to send it all again on transfer. 

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So much money.

 

Many schools. Free reports were more than eaten up with service academy, ROTC and nomination applications.

 

$5 per transcript for each of the schools ds attended as a DE student (same system but they don't have a common transcript. )

 

SAT scores

Subject Test scores

CSS Profile for a few schools

Priority mail for the transcript packages I mailed to non Common App entities.

 

Not to mention the cost of the SAT and Subject tests and psat and AP exams along the way. We had paid $1000 to College Board before all the score reports were added in.

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Dd is applying to 11 schools.  I'm cringing at this but she really doesn't know what she wants (big school, medium school, small school, nor sure of a major) and she needs scholarships in order to be able to go away to college, which is the one things she does know she wants.  Given the stress of our home, it would be a good thing for her.   A few of them waived the fee for visiting or having a certain ACT score. So, between sending scores and college transcripts for dual enrolled classes and app fees, it will likely be about $700.  But, it will definitely pay off if she can snag some full-tuition scholarships.  

 

This is not the approach my older kids took, applying to 4-6 schools each, having a pretty good idea what direction they were headed.  

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The visits were the biggest expense because we don't live driving distance to many of the colleges my kids considered. In addition to app fees, don't forget score report fees.

 

The fees for college transcripts for dual enrollment were quite significant for us and some had to be sent more than once...at the time of apps, then after first semester senior year for midyear report.

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The visits were the biggest expense because we don't live driving distance to many of the colleges my kids considered. In addition to app fees, don't forget score report fees.

 

I hadn't really considered that part of the application cost, but we spent a lot of $$$ on travel in order to visit colleges. DS only applied to two colleges in-state. He didn't visit every college he applied to, but he visited quite a few.

 

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We are getting some emails about free application fees, but they are all private, expensive schools.  The state schools all have a fee.  I don't think visiting will help.  We are signed up for 3 college tours this weekend, we can only do 2, so we need to make a choice soon.  

 

Our last visit did not get us free application fees.  Oldest applied anyway and got in.  

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About that for my oldest 3, more than double that for my last 2, and more than triple that for those 2 if you include visits. (Not only do you need to include sending test scores but also the costs of taking them in the first place (that can be registration fees plus prep materials.) Dd visited one college that was 16 hrs from home.

 

I'm thinking this has been a very worthwhile investment for your family! 

 

I responded that we didn't spend too terribly much on applications, but we did spend quite a bit on visits.  

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We had a surprise yesterday--my ds will be a transfer student but the school still wanted high school transcripts and ACT scores in addition to college transcripts (he'll have an AA degree when he transfers)--and ACT charges an "archive" fee to send those scores on (another $24 on top of the $13 to send the scores)! (What, do they have to send someone in person to go dig through the catacombs to retrieve his scores?!) At least the school waived the application fee! 

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DD has a friend who applied to over 25 schools. :svengo:  I can't even try to add up those expenses. (of course, he was offered a 100% free ride - plus expenses - at his top-five choices (possibly others), so I guess his family was willing to spend the money on the front-end). Perhaps they waived some of his application fees as well due to the fact he was a high-caliber applicant for the schools.

 

I've purged the costs of DD1 from my mind as we begin prepping for DD2 next year. I don't want to remember. :leaving:

 

DD1 was an athlete, so her visits were 100% paid for by the schools - she visited 4 out of state, I believe. DD2 is interested in schools halfway cross the country, so I'm trying to map out the most cost-efficient way for us to manage visits. Of course, the mandatory audition dates pre-set by the school will throw an enormous wrench into my "cost-efficient" attempts. So. That will be fun. :glare:

Edited by hopskipjump
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We had a surprise yesterday--my ds will be a transfer student but the school still wanted high school transcripts and ACT scores in addition to college transcripts (he'll have an AA degree when he transfers)--and ACT charges an "archive" fee to send those scores on (another $24 on top of the $13 to send the scores)! (What, do they have to send someone in person to go dig through the catacombs to retrieve his scores?!) At least the school waived the application fee! 

 

$37 is less than any of the application fees we are paying.  

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True, but if a person had to send to multiple schools and on top of application fees...ouch! Regardless, it was a surprise expense we didn't have in the budget.

 

Yes, for sure.

 

My oldest never took the ACT or the SAT.  He started in dual enrollment in high school and then continued in CC after graduation.  

 

Thankfully no schools have asked him for it.

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We are getting some emails about free application fees, but they are all private, expensive schools.  The state schools all have a fee.  I don't think visiting will help.  We are signed up for 3 college tours this weekend, we can only do 2, so we need to make a choice soon.  

 

Our last visit did not get us free application fees.  Oldest applied anyway and got in.  

 

We have opted to just visit one.

 

I love that most colleges do Open Houses on weekends now.  It gives better flexibility.  I can't miss work and we are LATE in getting these tours done.

 

But Friday we were just so exhausted we couldn't get ourselves up to go.

 

Today we are going to UNC Asheville for their open house.

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