Senior year is acclaimed to be the year with the most freedom and the most fun. But for many students at Scituate High, the excitement of senior year is dampened by some crazy costs. College applications and exam fees alone total more than $1,000 for the typical high school senior.

On average, Scituate seniors apply to seven colleges, and with fees of  $50-$60 per application, the costs add up. Some colleges send out an occasional application fee waiver, and some students use as many free application waivers as possible, but other students don’t have access to any tuition waivers.

SHS seniors are encouraged to take challenging AP courses, but the exams in May are expensive. Results from a survey sent to the current senior class revealed that on average Scituate High School students take three AP tests. With each AP exam costing $94, students spend an average of $282 on exam results that are not helpful if a student scores lower than a 4.

Along with the cost of applying to college and paying standardized exam fees, students also pay to send their test scores to selected schools. Sending AP exam scores costs $15 per school, while ACT scores cost $13 to send.

It seems every aspect of senior year has a cost, but what is the total cost of senior year?

Average number of college applications: 7

Application Costs: $55 x 7= $385

Cost per AP Exam:  $94 x 3= $282

Sending AP scores cost: $15 x 7 = $105

Cost of SAT: $60

Sending SAT scores cost: $11.25 per school x 7= $78.75

Cost of ACT: $62.50

Sending ACT scores cost: $13 per school x 7= $91

Transcript Release Form Fee: $10

Cost of Parking: $120

Sports Fee: $300

Cap and Gown: $21

Senior Photos: $300

Senior T-Shirt: $12

Yearbook: $80

College Merchandise: $50 (average sweatshirt cost)

Senior Activities: $35

All Night Party Ticket: $75

Total:  $2,067.25 (add $600 for three-season athlete)

The total cost of the average student’s senior year at Scituate High School typically exceeds $2,000. This final year of high school may have an alarming price tag, but it could be seen as a precursor for the inevitably high cost of tuition at most universities. Graduating from high school is a time for celebration, but it comes with a price.