Stressed junior here! I heard that applying to colleges can be pretty expensive with all the application fees. Does anyone know roughly how much most college application fees are? Are there options to get these waived too?
Yes, applying to college can be an expensive process. The cost of application fees varies widely, but the average application fee for colleges in the United States is around $50-$75. This means if you're applying to 10 schools, you could be looking at $500-$750 just in application fees. However, there are some colleges with higher fees. For instance, Stanford University and Duke University have an application fee of $90 and $95, respectively.
Fortunately, there are options for students who cannot afford these fees. The College Board offers fee waivers to students who qualify based on financial need. If you've taken the SAT or SAT Subject Test with a fee waiver, you're automatically eligible for college application fee waivers. You can also receive a fee waiver if you're enrolled in or eligible for the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program. College Board can provide you with up to four fee waivers.
In addition, some colleges offer their own fee waivers. You'd have to reach out to the admissions office at each college to learn about their specific process.
Furthermore, there are colleges that don't require an application fee at all. For example, Loyola University Chicago and several others have no application fee. This can be a great option if you're looking to save some money during the application process.
It's crucial that you include these costs in your college application budget. If the fees are a hardship, don't hesitate to seek out fee waivers—they are there to help. Every dollar saved on application fees is a dollar that can go towards your education.
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