Deciding which colleges to apply to is a hard decision. It makes it even harder because each college application has a fee. According to the College Board, “five to eight applications are usually enough to ensure that a student is accepted into a suitable institution” (“How Many Applications Are Enough”). Using that logic, and knowing that the average cost of applications is about $55, means that (theoretically) the least amount of money one would spend on college applications would be around $275. Keep in mind that the SATs and ACTs require payment as well. All of this money adds up very quickly. Do not just apply to every college available; that is too much money! In fact, part of the reason the applications are so expensive is because colleges do not want every student to apply.
Though this process does not need to be as expensive as $55 per application, there are costs that need to be considered by the colleges. Reviewing applications and reading each personal essay is work that takes a group of people to complete. The people reading over the applications are most likely paid well for their time and services. For most colleges, there are interviews, tours, and many other parts of the experience that occur before students are actually enrolled. Shipping and handling play a part of the expenses as well. To get help with the cost of applying, there are many potential scholarships for just that. Also, time is money! Each college needs a unique personal essay, and that takes up a lot of time.
Even if one decides to apply to trade school after graduation, the process can still be just as expensive (though less likely) and stressful. Starting a job right after high school is most likely the cheapest way to go, but is not the best choice for some people. Be wise with how you spend your money and time while preparing for college/the rest of your life. Good luck applying to colleges!
Works Cited
“How Many College Applications Are Enough?” Education Professionals, 26 Oct. 2020, professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/applications/how-many.
“What Is Involved in a College Application?” CollegeChoice, 27 Apr. 2021, www.collegechoice.net/what-is-involved-in-a-college-application/.
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