College Costs—Even Before You Get There
Allison Kade

You and your parents are bracing yourselves for the big price tag attached to a college education. Did you think about the price of simply applying? Application fees generally range from $40 to $65, with the average being about $60. Students who apply to a number of schools soon realize how quickly those fees add up. Suppose that a student applies to seven schools that charge $60 apiece. Already he has spent $420, not counting the postage for large application packets and preaddressed envelopes for teacher recommendations and school transcripts to each of those institutions.

Most (though not all) schools charge the same amount for paper and online submissions, and the fees for common applications are the same as school-specific applications. What do you get in return? Stress, aggravation, and the chance that after all of this you might not get in.

But hey, what can you do?

If you qualify for free or reduced lunch at a public school, you probably also qualify for a fee waiver. Pay a visit to your college advisor to ask about whether you are eligible for such a waiver. If nothing else, most colleges have an option available for a fee waiver request.

Limit the number of colleges you apply to. It sounds pretty basic, but plenty of people apply to schools they have little to no interest in. So your mother liked the window curtains, so your father loves their football team—how do you feel about the school? The application fee is the same whether you want to go there or not. Choose wisely.

Consider applying early. You should not by any means apply early decision to a college you are not positive about, but if it is a school you know you want to attend, applying early can save you the money and aggravation of applying to many other schools.