You should be aware of how much you are going to need to spend for college. Before
you make your final decision regarding higher education, you should consider all
of your options and calculate how much you have to spend.
Terms used when calculating your total cost:
- Tuition and Fees
The cost for instruction and lab costs, resources, such as the library, student
activities, and the health center. Typically, schools will price their courses by
the credit. Most classes in a degree program are three credits each.
- Room and Board
The cost of dorms, apartments, or houses for you to live in, and the cost of food,
usually a meal plan offered by the school.
- Books and Supplies
The cost of books, pens, and notebooks. For example, students in the health sciences
can expect to pay for medical equipment while graphic design students will need
specialty art supplies.
- Personal & Transportation
The cost of your personal items, such as furniture, a computer, etc, and the cost
of your travel during school, as well as when you return home during the holidays.
College might seem completely unaffordable for you. Even though college can be very
expensive, there are many resources available to you. Check out some
financial aid information to see what kind of help you can get.
Estimated Average 2015-16 Standard Student Budgets for Oregon Postsecondary
More Options for Paying for School
Start thinking about your other options for paying for college before you start
taking out student loans.
- Exhaust all your financial aid possibilities first like scholarships, grants, and
work-study before you take out student loans.
- Talk with your parents about your financial options as well as theirs.
- Learn about 529 Plans.
- Start saving early! Check out which states have prepaid tuition programs.
- Look for scholarships as soon as you can. The earlier you start, the more you will
be able to find.
Use these tools to estimate your financial aid status! You should also check with
your individual schools of choice for specific information.
National Center for Education Statistics: College Navigator
ACT Financial Need Estimator
Financial Aid Need Estimator (www.act.org)