Most people are aware of the tremendous amount of money that goes into financing a college education.  Tuition, room and board, books, and meal plans are like a vacuum sucking money out of bank accounts across the country.  But what many people are not aware of are the hidden costs that appear before even enrolling in an institution.

Colleges are certainly a business and over the years they have developed a system to effectively pinch the most money out of each process associated with applying and enrolling.  But before you can even think of applying, there are ways that the College Board will drain you of your supply of cash.

Standardized testing is a daunting task that looms before juniors as they prepare for the nationwide exams.  Many students put an unnecessary amount of importance on the tests, believing they are the only component affecting the application process. To try and quell their fears, students often opt to buy practice books or enroll in tutoring sessions. Preparation books usually cost about $20, and if you buy more than one, you’re looking at a sum of about $40-$60.  Some people also choose to enroll in preparatory courses like Revolution Prep, which ranges between $399-$899.  Private tutoring is also offered by Revolution, but it can cost almost $1100.  Outside tutors may charge anywhere from $20-$60 for an hour of help.  And if you want to take an AP prep course to prepare for AP exams, you may be shelling out $99 per course.  All of this money is required before you even register for the actual exam.

The SATs cost $49 per test and ACTs cost $50.  Many students choose to take the test multiple times, amounting to over $100 in test fees alone. Once scores are released, there are additional fees required for access to services that will point out what problems you got right or which ones you got wrong.  These cost about $18 for both the ACT and the SAT.  To have essays or multiple choice sections reviewed and hand graded, the cost is usually $55.

“On top of the eventual cost of tuition, room and board, and meal plans, applying to a school you might not even go to is too much money,” said senior Tarran O’Toole. O’Toole’s complaints match those of many other students around the country.

After taking the tests and receiving scores, it’s then time to send out scores to potential colleges and universities.  The College Board requires a fee of $10.50 for SATs and $10 for the ACT per school.  That’s more than $100 for just the SATs if you plan on applying to 10 colleges, which is common.

Aside from testing, there are other costs that must be considered.  Visiting schools that require traveling can hold many hidden costs.  A trip that lasts a week and includes gas, tolls, hotels, meals, and some souvenirs can cost almost $3,000.  This price is subject to change depending on how lavish your arrangements are and how much college apparel you buy.

Finally, applying is not a free service.  It’s usually $60 per school to send in your application, including the Common App and additional supplements.  The transcript release form required by guidance is $10 which, compared to the other fees, is basically nothing.

Senior Rachel Sandham commented on the subject, saying that fees can deter students from applying to certain schools.  “The cost takes away from the number of schools I apply to, it creates hesitations, like, if I think that I’m not going to get in somewhere, then I’m less likely to waste the money on an application.”  Sandham believes that the fees are taking away from the chances that students take, and limiting the amount of reach schools that students apply to.

Evidently, the long and daunting task of preparing and applying to college is not toll free.  In fact, it’s quite pricey, but the final cost is subject to the amount of times you test or the amount of places you travel.  A word to the wise: start planning and saving up now to avoid being shocked when the the college process starts.