The hidden costs of college

By Liz Pulliam Weston

Tuition bills for the fall semester arrive again in August, and those would seem to be shock enough for a parent's finances.

But, as incoming freshmen and their families are about to learn, there are plenty of other, hidden costs that can seriously boost the college spending tab.

Here's a list compiled by one poster on the Your Money message board who is sending a daughter to Texas A&M:

• Dorm-room fridge and microwave rental: $225.

• Carpet for dorm room: $175.

• Sheets "guaranteed" to fit longer dorm mattress: $70.

• Mandatory new-student conference (with parents): $350 for one night's hotel, three restaurant meals, gas, T-shirt and parking.

• Fish camp (four-day new-student orientation): $155.

• Parking pass: $200.

• Football game pass: $200.

So: $1,375 out of pocket before a single class is attended.

"Okay, these were all the unexpected extras so far," wrote the poster, "SLGO." "Obviously her tuition, books, dorm, meals, and laptop computer are all on top of that."

Other posters said the costs SLGO lists are just the tip of an iceberg that extends from book bills to Saturday night pizza runs to tickets home.

"When you're trying to wrap your brain around the costs of a college education," said Lynn O'Shaughnessy, the author of "The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price," "don't overlook all the other expenses that can significantly hike the costs."

Tuition is only the start

Some college expenses are clearly spelled out, such as the aforementioned tuition and bills for room and board. You also should be able to get a list of mandatory fees (which are numerous and ever-growing), or at least the total you're expected to pay, by contacting the school.

Other expenses, though, can be hard to predict. Books, insurance, electronics, even dorm furnishings can set you back thousands if you're not careful.

To help you come up with a budget, I've included some average spending figures from the National Retail Federation, the College Board's Annual Survey of Colleges and my own research. I've also included ways to save, including some tips from college students and parents who post on the Your Money "Hidden costs of colleges" message board.

College students and their parents trimmed back-to-school spending by about 6% to an average of $599.38 last year, according to the National Retail Federation. (The averages spent in each column add up to higher numbers because not all consumers purchased items in each category.)

Back-to-school spending:

Category	Average spent	Percent who buy
Clothing	$202.61	66.3%
Shoes	$97.35	60.1%
School supplies	$94.13	81.4%
Electronics	$444.69	47.6%
Dorm/apartment furnishings	$266.93	34.1%
College-branded gear	$82.53	42.7%

Here's what you can expect to spend for your college-bound student over a school year:

Books and supplies

Total: $988 (Source: College Board).

With typical textbooks running $100 to $150 apiece, the College Board's number is on the low end of what you're likely to spend, but Your Money posters have plenty of ideas for containing the costs:

• Get a head start. Poster "MinnesotaGovtGuy" recommends e-mailing instructors to find out which books will be used and which editions are acceptable. "I found most of my instructors required the latest edition (especially if they were the author or co-author of the text) but others would allow older editions," MinnesotaGovtGuy wrote. "Then go onto Half.com or eBay and look for a used version. You could find a used version many times for $5 to $10 whereas that same used version would cost $45 to $60 in the campus bookstore. Make sure to do this 4 to 5 weeks in advance since it can sometimes take that long to receive your used book purchase." Other places to look for textbooks include Amazon.com, Craigslist, Best Book Buys and AbeBooks.com.

Continued: Procrastinate

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