Everyone knows that college costs money, specifically those line items like tuition, housing, and meal plans, and even those expenses that aren’t directly billed by schools, such as books and supplies. But there are also several costs that families incur before even selecting a school. These are the expenses associated with searching for and applying to college, and it’s helpful to anticipate those costs before you begin the college application process.

College Visits

Touring college campuses can be a fun part of the college search process, but there will likely be costs associated with your visits. Though college tours are free, you and your family will need to travel to the campus, which often requires a road trip, train ticket, or flight. If you’re far from home, you’ll likely need to pay for a hotel to stay the night, plus any food you eat during your trip. To help with these costs, try to schedule college visits when you’re already traveling for different reasons, such as vacations, holidays, family reunions, or extracurricular regional or state-wide events.

Exams

Many colleges still require standardized test scores as part of the college application, and those tests, the SAT and ACT, require a fee every time you take them. Though fee waivers are available for certain students for both the SAT and ACT, you’ll need to pay the exam fee if you don’t qualify. Many students also opt to pay for test prep services from bigger companies or private tutors. Though this option is available, keep in mind that both the SAT and ACT offer free practice tests and resources online.

College Application Fees

In many cases, you need to pay a fee when you submit a college application, which can be anywhere from $20 to $100, and if you’re applying to a large number of schools, those fees can add up. There are fee waivers available, but in most cases you need to qualify, either through meeting certain criteria, like being a ward of the court, or taking a certain action, such as attending a campus tour. Our article provides more details.

If you are preparing to enter the college search and application process, start preparing now for the expenses ahead. Utilize free resources whenever possible, and set aside funds now for each stage of the journey. It’s also helpful to check in with the student’s school counselor to find out any additional opportunities, like a high school-sponsored trip to tour a college campus or supplemental funds to help pay for application fees. Doing a little research and prep work now could help save on the overall cost of the process.