College 101
College is Freakin' Expensive Article Type: Quick and Dirty
Well, good on you for figuring that out, Sherlock. Really, we had no idea.
Shall we look at the numbers? They're ugly. You'd best brace yourself. The average cost of tuition, fees, and room and board at a four-year in-state public college averages...drumroll, please... $26,820 per year. With that much money, you could buy a brand-new Ford EcoSport and have money left over for a vacation to Disney World.
But, wait, it gets worse. Want to go to a private school? The average annual cost there is $43,280 per year. Hahahahahahahaha. That's literally enough for a ticket to Disney World every single day for two full semesters.
And did you know that the cost of college goes up around eight percent a year? That means your senior year is likely to cost you a good bit more than your freshman year did.
Are you frightened yet? Well, you've come this far, so let's carry on.
See, the truth is, while the numbers mentioned here might be enough to make you weep in despair, there are ways to offset the cost of a college education. One of the best things you can do going forward is to be cognizant of what you have to pay for and how much you have to pay for it. We've got a list for that...
Eight Things You'll Be Sinking Your Money Into When You Go To College
1. Tuition. This covers the professors and the classrooms.
2. Fees. This is where you pay for useful things, like the library. It's also where you pay for things that are totally irrelevant to you, like the weight room for the football team you will never be on because you weigh slightly less than a small bag of potatoes.
3. Room and board. This covers the mildew-y closet you'll sleep in and the crusty food that'll keep you from gaining that infamous Freshman Fifteen.
4. Books and supplies. A word of advice: buy your books online. Now, run along, and tell no one what you learned here.
5. Personal expenses. This covers the enormous cups of coffee you will consume so you can finish your medieval philosophy final on time.
6. Transportation. Planes, trains, taxis, and automobiles!
7. Your laptop. You're going to need one, so pony up.
8. Club dues. These vary. The Coffee, Cookies, and Conversation Club won't cost you much. Joining a fraternity, on the other hand, could cost you hundreds of dollars and your dignity.