Schools
Back to School: How Much is that College Dorm Costing You?
Mom's Talk asks you this week how much you're spending to give your child a taste of 'college life.'
By Jason Koestenblatt and Linda Sadlouskos
Bedding, bath, clothes, that mini-fridge, and technology. And you haven't even looked at the tuition bill yet.
August marks the start of packing up and shipping the coeds off to college, which seems to get pricier each year. So, Patch wants to know from its readers what their students' institutions of higher learning are recommending come along to campus.
And, most importantly, what's the cost? What are you spending just to get your student in the dorm room door this fall?
Do you see more students whose parents have decided they should live at home, at least for a year or so, and attend Raritan Valley Community College, or Rutgers?
And who pays for all this? Do parents pick up the tab? Share it with students? Or, if you son or daughter really insists on living on campus, do they pay for it either by working to cover the costs — or shouldering loans that will follow them into the future?
And what about older college students who then insist on moving into an apartment with a bunch of friends? Is that usually a better deal? A transition to real life?
Who makes these decisions, anyway, and how?
By the way, with widely varying room and board costs across the country, does that play a factor in where your students attend college?
Let us know in the comments section!
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.