The crazy high cost of senior year

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WARRIORMIKE

Pro-Staff Everything
Oct 5, 2009
2,815
48
At the Jewel in San Diego
The crazy cost of high school senior year - 10News.com KGTV-TV San Diego



This story was originally published in 2013 and contains data from that year.

Now that the kids are starting to head back to school, you may think a couple hundred dollars will pay for their school needs this year.

Not so fast. High school is more expensive than ever, especially if your little baby is now a senior.

If you have a son or daughter in high school, you're probably saving up for college -- and getting nervous about those big bills on the way. You may not realize those big bills start the year before college, when your child is a high school senior.

The $5,000 senior year

College bound high school student?

You could shell out $5,000 to $10,000 during senior year, according to a report by the Newark New Jersey Star Ledger:

Yearbooks: For starters, the traditional high school yearbook now costs $30 to $150.
Photos: Senior pictures for that yearbook and mom's bookshelf cost from $40 to as much as $500.
Test prep: SAT and ACT test prep classes or online courses can cost between $300 to $1,000.
Standard tests: Testing fees range from $35 to $400. Just the SAT? You're lucky. If your child takes AP tests, it will be closer to the $400 mark.
Applications: Then expect to pay $200 to $600 for college applications at $75 per school, since the average senior applies to four colleges. Some private schools cost well over $100 just for applying.
Road trips: Visits to those colleges? As much $1,500. This does not include fun road trips (see spring break below).

Doesn't that stink?

And don't forget the rising costs of all those senior year social activities:

Senior events: $50 to $100. This is for just the little get-togethers, not prom.
School ring: $150 to $500. Sorry mom and dad, rings are no longer $50 as they were when you were in school.
Prom: We can't forget prom. Essential to many students, costs range from $500 to $3,000. It depends how much that dress is, along with the shoes, hair appointments, mani/pedi and more. It depends how much you're willing to spend. Your costs could probably be a bit lower.

But we haven't even touched on spring break! If your little baby insists on a spring break trip to Cancun, all bets are off. Add another $1,000 or more.

Parents with kids in sports know the cost of all the travel to games. That factor, at least, is not a surprise by senior year.

Car: Finally, if you buying them a used car, plan on at least $8,000 to $10,000 to get anything with 2017's expected safety features, such as stability control and side air bags. (Sure, you can go buy them a 1995 Saturn for $1,500, but do you really want them driving that?)

One way to avoid senior year surprises is to talk with your child about costs in advance. Let them know that if they want certain things, like class rings, they may have to contribute.

That way you don't waste your money, and you -- and your child -- can enjoy senior year.

__________________

“Don't Waste Your Money” is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. (“Scripps”).

For more DWYM reports, go to Don't Waste Your Money - Advice And Tips To Make And Save More Money - Don't Waste Your Money

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Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,218
113
USA
Thanks a lot Mike, I really needed that. ;-( I don't agree with all of it by any means but.....then when you factor in a multi-sport athlete with one of those sports being travel ball and it just gets worse. uugghh. And then the blessing and the curse of having twins....double everything. Ka-ching, ka-ching $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
Feb 20, 2015
643
0
illinois
Twins....ouch. Don't feel quite as bad now. I have a senior this year also. We just went recently and did a visit at an out of state college......room and board NOT including tuition, is 10,000 a year.
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
I remember talking to my mother about a documentary she saw.
Someone decided to form a soccer travel team made up of poor kids, and they played against kids from more prestigious travel teams.
My mother said: "Would you believe there are some teams where the families pay over $1000?"

Shocking, isn't it.

I had to explain what travel sports are really like to her. Thank goodness my DS is in college, where the school lays out quite a few grand every year for his athletics. With his summer rowing camp, fees for two summer races, and the expenses we have for trips to his races, etc., still comes out to about $1000 on our part.
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
Having had 2 graduate HS I can tell you that if you spend anywhere near that much you need to look in the mirror. Senior year is more expensive but it's not that stupid. Besides if You think senior year is expensive. Wait until you see first year of college costs.

As a small example. None of your sheets fit dorm beds, none of them.
 
Jun 11, 2012
741
63
Thankfully SATs, prom, car and class ring all happened junior year. But everything else is hitting now. Thank goodness kid number 2 is a boy. So far he is much less expensive
 

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