Friday, December 11, 2009

Expensive college dorms may not be worth it

Dorm rooms can add quite a bit to the cost of college. Many times, especially at public colleges and universities, the cost of a dorm can be more than tuition. Costs can be as much as $10,000 a year, with about one third of that being the cost of the meal plan.

There ways of saving on the cost. When choosing a college, price may be on the top of your list. The difference between what some colleges charge for dorm rooms can be quite dramatic. Shop around and find colleges that offer cheap dorms. If you are set on attending one college, check the different prices of dorm options. Sharing a dorm room is much cheaper than a private one. You are not going to spend that much time oin your dorm, and most colleges allow you to pick compatible roommates.

Remember that colleges with cheap dorms also will have the least amenities. Most will offer internet and wi-fi, but not air conditioning.

Some colleges allow you to even share with more than one extra person, lowering the cost of dorm again.

If your college has the option, investigate how much of a discount you can get for campus work.

Meal plans are another cost. Getting the cheapest available plan, or even no plan, may be an option for many students who will not be eating cafeteria food much. However, some schools do insist on a meal plan. Also, many colleges will offer a bundle of dorm and meal plan for less if bought separately.

If you want the most expensive dorm room, you should look into nearby housing and see if it is cheaper to live off campus. Especially if you can get roommates to share the costs.

Remember that just because a dorm room is cheap, does not mean the tuition will be cheap as well. You need to look at the total cost, room, board, plus tuition to get an overall feel as to how expensive your chosen college is.

More Money For College Resources:
>Financial Aid Secrets
>30 tips to save money in college
>College cash for free
>5 jobs college students can get now

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