College Costs Comparison.

Okay, I started to share this the other day, then the stigma of sharing confidential financial information came over me and I decided not to share it, but then I thought, this is not really personal, so I'm being silly so here I go posting it again.  Our estimated costs versus what the first year of college cost.  Financially, not emotionally.  :-P

Here's what the college data website says about WCU where my son goes to college.

 

TUITION AND EXPENSES

Tuition and Fees	................................10350
Room and Board	..................................4140
Books and Supplies	................................ 2850
Other Expenses	.................................3987

Cost of Attendance	...............................21327

Terrifying, right?

We filed the FAFSA, applied for scholarships, searched for book bargains (Deal Oz) and borrowed books.

This is what the tuition and stuff actually cost according to my calculations.

Tuition 325 per hour x 9 hours per trimester x 3 trimesters =  8775
general fee .........................................................................200
dorm deposit ......................................................................150
dorm 500 per trimester x 3 trimesters ..................................1500
food plan, 14 meals a week + 850 x 3 trimesters ...................2550
books ...........about 100 per trimester (see above) ...................300.


Total .............................................................................13,475

Other expenses - He needed bedding, clothes, breakfasts, snacks, a microwave and fridge, transportation, etc.  A couple of times, the dorms closed and he couldn't come home so he stayed with a friend twice.  I sent the friend's mom a hand crocheted item from my daughter and a thank you note.  I'm not sure how much all of these cost.  Most of it came out of my son's pocket and he watched his expenses very, very carefully.   The laundry is free in the dorms and the cafeteria actually stocked gluten free cereal and bread for him and one other student.   He also flew home and back there 3 times and bought an inexpensive lemon car.

He got 3 scholarships, a pell grand and a stafford loan.  He was also approved for work study but did not get it because there were no open jobs on campus..

total aid .......................................................................13950

Now, if he gets the same loan every year, does not get work study and does not have a summer job, he will be in debt when he gets out.  Obviously, we are going to try very hard to avoid that.  He didn't want to use the loan this year but it seemed necessary.  He's already applied for the work study job for this fall and may work at his old factory some this summer, to try to avoid as much of the debt as possible.

So anyway, there it is.