Most affordable T25 College

cptofthehouse
Tue, 11 Jun 2019 14:52:14 +0000

I use the COAs used for CDS as a base. But those numbers can vary individually. Some schools have hefty surcharges for certain majors, charge for credits in excess of a certain number, etc. I don’t remember if any of the OP’s listed schools do.

Then with Room and board, some schools allow more variation in the charges so that the average costs listed could be quite different. As mentioned before, if an off campus environment is the norm and it’s cheap rent nearby and you have a frugal kid, you can really bring down the costs. Live close enough to parents do that they can share some goods, it also brings down the cost.

Some schools have apartments for upperclassmen that are expensive. Some require purchase of on campus meal plans in more situations than others.

All of those factors are individual.

Also want to add that one of the benefits of attending the most selective schools is that you have an opportunity to meet those in a whole other living situation than yourself if you are an upper middle or middle income student. That was something very different to me in going to such a school. Yes, there are kids on financial aid at such schools, but also a concentration of very well connected and wealthy kids that many of us do not get the opportunity to get to know in our usual life. Though keeping up with the wealthy is not something Id recommend anyone to try to do when you are not, there is a bit of that at such schools. That can cost money too.