From college apps to graduation caps, senior year comes with its fair share of expenses. Already this year, seniors at SHS have spent an overwhelming amount of money on college applications, exams, and end of the year activities.

The college application process is one of the major expenses that burdens all seniors. Although some students have received waived application fees, it can cost up to $80 to apply to some colleges. Along with the application fee, sending SAT and ACT scores costs $12.00 per school, and that doesn’t even include the cost of the test itself—or the tutoring hours leading up to it. For a student applying to an average of seven schools, it can cost at least $609 to apply to colleges and send the SAT scores.

Aside from college expenses, seniors are also burdened with the cost of AP exams, as many students plan to take at least one AP test this year. The AP Exam costs have risen from $89 last year to $91 this year. Though this may not seem like a significant change, every dollar counts as some students plan to take up to five AP Exams.

Speaking about the cost of college apps and AP exams, senior Jillian Palubicki said, “With both, you never know what the outcome will be like. We never know if we are paying $85 to get rejected from a school or $91 to get a one on the exam.”

It still doesn’t end there, though. The highly anticipated all-night party following graduation requires a $75 payment, which is matched by the $75 needed to purchase a yearbook. And while the cost of the senior class trip taking place at the end of the year has not yet been solidified, students can assume there will most likely be a $50 fee involved. Still, many would defend that these events are well worth the cost. As the major expenses add up—especially at a time when the cost to attend college is higher than ever—many students are left stressed over these expenses.

Let’s do some math:

If you’re applying to 7 schools, with an average cost of $75 per application:

7 x 75= $525

For each school, there is a $12 fee to send test scores:

7 x 12= $84

Fee for the SAT test if taken an average of three times:

3 x $52= $156

Cost to take 4 AP exams:

4 x $91= $364

Cost to send 4 AP scores to 7 schools:

4 x $15 x 7= $420

Senior trip and Senior Dinner Dance combined

$55

All Night Party

$75

Yearbook

$75

Senior T-Shirt

$10

Cap and Gown

$20.50

Senior Photographs:

Range from $100- $300 with prints

Parking spot:

$120

Grand Total: $2,104.50

Senior Jackie Coscia expected a total of $800- $1000 for her senior year expenses, unaware that the total is nearly double this number.

She was shocked to hear the real cost of senior year expenses saying, “It’s stupid that we have to spend that money before we even go to college.” Coscia has a point, considering the high cost of college tuition, as well as the expenses of having an enjoyable time at college.

Whether you are hitting submit on your first college app or accepting your diploma, senior year is a very exciting time. It’s important to recognize all of the incredible opportunities we are being given during our senior year, which certainly ensure that we will be kept busy by a wide variety of activities that will truly bring the Class of 2015 together for one last time.