Many students have applied and gotten accepted into college. Way to go! Now they have to start planning for how to pay for everything. Students and parents mostly think about paying for college, tuition, and books.

But what about the after-college-acceptance costs that aren’t covered by financial aid or scholarships?

Students have already paid for pre-college costs including SAT or ACT tests, application fees, transcript costs, etc. What else do they need to pay for?

Prior to starting classes, they will attend orientation. This is where students will learn about the school policies and general rules. They become familiar with the campus, meet other students, and faculty. The fees for orientation can run anywhere between $50 and $300 or more depending on the college.

As students are going off to college, one of the first things on their agenda is decorating their dorm room. This usually means they will need to pick up items such as linens, pots and pans, a mini fridge, bulletin boards, and perhaps a new laptop. Any décor items they want for their new room will need to be included in the budget. Surveys also suggest students or their parents spend between $400 and $700 on dorm supplies alone.

Depending on where the student is attending college, they may need a new wardrobe. According to lexingtonlaw.com, college students spend an average of $148 per month on clothes and shoes. If they are moving to a state where it requires a complete overhaul of their wardrobe, say from Florida to Washington State, they may spend more money than someone who just wants to update their wardrobe for the new school year.

College costs involve way more than just tuition and housing. These are just a few of the expenses associated with getting there and setting up that are often overlooked when planning and budgeting for college. Students should consider these and any additional expenses when they start the planning process and budget accordingly. We want insure students are financially stable from the beginning.