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<p>But as you’ve seen so far, your spending $8,000 is out of the norm, even for the average CC’er. Most of us here spent a fraction of that so $10,000 is not spot on.</p>
<p>College Applications: $210 to $600
–4 schools. $25 to $60 each. $150
College Enrollment/Deposit Fees: $150 to $250
–We shall see
Yearbook: $35 to $150
–$0. Not buying one
Yearbook Ads: $5 to $200
–$0. No
Senior Pictures: $40 to $500
–Photography student niece will take them, but we still have to print the pictures. $50ish
Test Prep Classes: $299 to $1,299
–$0, didn’t take any.
Testing Costs: $35 to $468
–Took ACT and SAT already. Will take 3 AP tests, but that will (hopefully) offset college costs
School Ring: $180 to $500
–$0 Must be a regional thing. No one gets these any more
School Memorabilia: $10 to $300
–$30 maybe. (Cap and Gown. Extra tassle., etc)
Gifts for Favorite Teachers: $10 to $100
–$0, No
Framing the Diploma: $10 to $300
–$0, No
Senior Prom: $500 to $3,000
–$100 tops for this. And I have a daughter.<br>
Senior Trips: $10 to $100
–$0
College Visits: $15 to $1,500
–$2000ish. We have to go to dance auditions at 4 different schools that are at least 7 hours, and up to 15 hours away from home.
Graduation Costs: $30 to $350
–$0 I don’t think there is an additional cost over the cap and gown mentioned above
Graduation Parties: $50 to $1,000
–$250ish. Have reserved a building at a local park and will have dessert open house.
Unexpected Fines: $2 to $500
–I doubt she will have any</p>
<p>So $2580 for a very conservative, lower middle class family from West Michigan. Granted, the dance auditions are the big expense. Without that it would be under $600.</p>
<p>^Some colleges accept video auditions…for a lower-income family, that might save some $$. (Of course, in-person is better.)</p>
<p>And here I am so proud of myself that I saved my son’s graduation gown to tailor to a smaller size for my daughter. All I need is the cap!</p>
<p>The yearbook “ads” are really popular here. My good friend and I had a picture of our boys together from the first day of kindergarten (they have been friends since preschool). We made an ad with that picture beside one from senior year (we had shared a photographer and each did a “half” session with fewer shots), and split the cost.</p>
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<p>I’m half Finnish. :D</p>
<p>Seriously, I love entertaining, but we had not one single family member in the area, and the only person who came to the graduation was S’s godfather. In addition, the kids go off on an over night trip immediately after graduation, so there is no one to come to an open house. Some of S’s friends had parties during the days following, to which he went, but they were for the kids, not the parents. None of his close friends, whose parents are also our friends, had a party.</p>
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<p>Sure.</p>
<p>But question – is this for expenses that are directly graduation-related only, or for all school-ralted expenses that happen to occur during senior year?</p>
<p>
In my experience, that cultural/regional stereotype is bogus - at least with respect to grad parties and the like. YMMV. ;)</p>
<p>In other news, be sure to read “How Your New Porsche Could Cost You Upwards of $60,000” for the shocking truth about the monetary cost of discretionary spending on luxuries. :rolleyes:</p>
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<p>Anything that you think helps justify the article.</p>
<p>We invited family, other students, neighbors, former teachers, and everybody at church. Yeah, my family is 4 people and lots of times h’s can’t/don’t want to drive so far for an open house, but there are plenty of others who will happily come eat some yummy food! </p>
<p>And . . . most of those folks (well, not the other students) will often bring a card with a little cash stuffed in it. Nice for the grad.</p>
<p>I am bored so…this is for S’12.</p>
<p>College Applications: $210 to $600
–All free (for applying online, etc) except one so $50</p>
<p>College Enrollment/Deposit Fees: $150 to $250
–$250 but really $0 because applied to tuition</p>
<p>Yearbook: $35 to $150
–$55</p>
<p>Yearbook Ads: $5 to $200
–$40 (shared with 5 others in his jazz band)</p>
<p>Senior Pictures: $40 to $500
–$0 (didn’t need pics of him posing on a giant guitar or whatever else those places do)</p>
<p>Test Prep Classes: $299 to $1,299
–$0, didn’t take any.</p>
<p>Testing Costs: $35 to $468
–One ACT and two APs so…$150? AP tests are partially subsidized by school.</p>
<p>School Ring: $180 to $500
–$0 </p>
<p>School Memorabilia: $10 to $300
–$0</p>
<p>Gifts for Favorite Teachers: $10 to $100
–$0</p>
<p>Framing the Diploma: $10 to $300
–$0</p>
<p>Senior Prom: $500 to $3,000
–$40 for a shirt to go with the tux he was given by his grandmother. He paid for the corsage and stuff himself.</p>
<p>Senior Trips: $10 to $100
–$0</p>
<p>College Visits: $15 to $1,500
–$500? Mostly gas and meals for auditions (bass) and general visits,. Only one overnight and I used points for the hotel.</p>
<p>Graduation Costs: $30 to $350
–$10 for tassel, used a friend’s older son’s gown</p>
<p>Graduation Parties: $50 to $1,000
–$300 - rented a space with 3 other families and split food, drink, etc.</p>
<p>Unexpected Fines: $2 to $500
–$50 - 8th grade French textbook we finally gave up on</p>
<p>$1195.</p>
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<p>Frankly, for me, the fear that it would be seen as a request for a gift was an argument against having a party.</p>
<p>My kids’ cohorts do grad parties. If I, the parent, am invited to another kids’ party, I give some $ in a card - or a gift - and so do parents and friends of mine who attended my son’s. </p>
<p>So there is that expectation. There is also the expectation that I’ll get some good food and drink so it kind of works out. </p>
<p>However, most of the grad parties are attended by other seniors who definitely do not give $ to each other.</p>