Personal expenses may or may not be directly related to education; but, they are still things to consider when trying to calculate the cost of the whole college experience.
- What technology will be needed?
- What will be the cost of medical expenses? If insured, are your college health facilities within your medical network?
- Is there a free health club for students or will you pay for a gym membership?
- Will you attend sporting events and are they free for students?
- Are there costs to participate in extracurricular activities (intermural sports, fraternities/sororities, club dues)?
- What will be the cost of clothing for new or different climates?
- Will you work part-time to help pay for education expenses?
- What student discounts or memberships are offered?
Need more help making that right decision? Don’t hesitate to reach out to financial aid offices to help answer these questions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has another great resource to compare financial aid offers and projects monthly student loan repayments after graduation. Check it out at:
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/paying-for-college/compare-financial-aid-and-college-cost/