When Applying to Colleges, Sometimes You Have to Spend a Little to Save a Lot!
The costs associated with applying to colleges can seem prohibitive to many (if they are too prohibitive, see "Waiving Application Fees"). Think about it. You have ACT or SAT tests to take, you have the application fees themselves, the costs associated with sending your test scores to additional schools, and maybe you have some advanced placement exams to take. It certainly can add up. All we can say is, don’t let the temptation to reduce the number of colleges to which you apply get the better of you.
Typical Costs Associated With Applying to College
- ACT Test: $35.00 for each test you take
- ACT Test Scores to more than four colleges: $10.00 each
- SAT Test: $47.00
- SAT Subject Tests: $10.00 - $21.00
- SAT Test Scores to more than four colleges: $10.00 each
- College Application Fees: $35.00 on average
- Advanced Placement Tests (AP): $87.00
- AP Test Scores sent to more than one college: $15.00 each
Wow. All that can really add up. You can probably see why some students and families decide to skimp on the college applications to cut down on some of these costs. But what it boils down to is this: if you were to spend another $300 now to save thousands of dollars later, would you do it? I think most of us would answer “yes”. Or, as we sometimes like to put it:
2 ACT Tests: $70.00
Sending ACT scores to colleges 5, 6, 7, and 8: $40.00
Admissions Application fees for 8 colleges: $280.00
3 AP Exams: $261
Knowing you got the best possible deal from the right college: Priceless
The costs of applying to college may seem daunting to some, and irritating to others. You may be tempted to skimp on the costs and only apply to four colleges instead of eight, or three colleges instead of six. But let me tell you emphatically, DON’T SKIMP NOW! Yes there are costs involved in the college application process, but those costs are miniscule compared to the costs of not following through on a sound application strategy.