Posts Tagged ‘college scholarship’

5 Unforeseen Expenses Not Included in Your College Tuition

Categories: College Life

scholarshipsIllustrationIconCollege tuition is crazy expensive. The solution?  Scholarships. There are tons of scholarships you can apply for even today, this minute, now!, you could’ve already done it–and, if you want, here are some easy-to-apply-to scholarships with deadlines approaching.

So yes, tuition can be pretty steep, but there are ways around it if you stay ahead of the game and keep your eyes peeled for scholarship opportunities.

On the other hand, there are some costs to college that are a bit unexpected, and we don’t want them to catch you off guard. So here are five unforeseen expenses that you might have to dole out  some cash for that are not included in your college tuition:

1. Tutoring
You are a very intelligent person, but your physics class is much more difficult than you could have imagined. You totally thought you owned that exam, but when you got your grade back, you realized you need to work a little harder. So you visited the physics resource center, you went to your professor’s office hours, you met up with friends in the class, and the concepts were just not hitting home. Sometimes, the many resources your school provides for you won’t cut it–you need a couple one-on-one sessions with an expert who can give you all their attention and focus on what you’re missing.

Yes, tutoring can be a bit pricey, but failing a class can cost you much more.

2. Labs and materials
This mostly goes for art and design students who can’t simply use a pen and paper to do their work. If you’re an art and design student, you might have to pay lab fees (that goes for science students as well), and you’ll probably have to purchase your materials for your art, which can add up. Try to budget in your lab and materials costs before the semester starts so you don’t overdraw your bank account on canvases and oil paints.

3. Printing
It depends on your school, but usually your college or university will give you an allotted number of pages you can print for free (or that’s already included in your tuition), and then it will start charging you. Be careful for this because many professors will have you print off your own course packs which may be hundreds of pages.

4. Healthcare
Being a student is hard. You’ll study hard. Work hard. And probably party hard. With that entire combination, there’s no doubt you’ll ultimately wind up with some sort of illness. Just be weary; a trip to your university care center isn’t free of charge. Don’t be surprised when you get a bill for the tests you took. Also, don’t be taking CAT scans just for fun. Well, you probably knew that.

5. Computers and computer emergencies
Most college students have their own computers. It’s an expensive tool, but it’s also incredibly helpful–you can do you work on your own schedule, not the computer lab’s.

So there’s the cost of the actual computer, but there’s also the chance that your computer might need to be fixed. Too often it all begins with an ill-positioned cup of coffee, a clumsy roommate, a banana slip on the floor, and boom! Your keyboard is drenched in hot coffee and making weird noises. Or, maybe you downloaded a shady file. There are so many reasons your computer can go rogue–like, maybe it’s one of those computers from the future that was sent back in time to take over the human race–but it’s one of the most important tools you have with you at college, so you’re probably going to put the money down to fix it.

What are some unforeseen costs you experience during college? Leave a comment!