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I just finished applying to college. It feels great. I can get some work done now. Before that, however, I’ve been meaning to figure out exactly how much it cost to apply to college. Here’s the breakdown. All figures are in USD.
Schools applied to
| School | Application cost |
|---|---|
| Cal Poly | $55 |
| UC Berkeley | $70 |
| UC Santa Barbara | $70 |
| UC Irvine | $70 |
| Pomona College | $70 |
| Brown University | $75 |
| Carleton College | $0 |
| Grinnell College | $0 |
| Harvard College | $75 |
| RPI | $70 |
| Skidmore College | $65 |
| Tufts University | $70 |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | $50 |
| University of Pennsylvania | $75 |
| Washington University in St. Louis | $75 |
| Willamette University | $50 |
| WPI | $65 |
source: Common Application
Test registered
| Qty | Test | Registration cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | ACT w/ writing | $52.50 |
| 2 | SAT | $51 |
| 5 | SAT II | $24.50 |
source: ACT and SAT websites
My case is extreme (due to extenuating circumstances for some test dates), so my number will be larger than most by about $75. Additionally, despite taking the ACT, I still needed to take the SAT to qualify as a National Merit Scholar finalist.
Tests reported
| Qty sent | # Tests to send | Test | Report fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 2 | ACT | $12 |
| 1 | 1 | SAT | $11.25 |
| 7 | 2 | SAT II | $11.25 |
| 8 | 1 | SAT II | $11.25 |
source: ACT and SAT websites
Dang. Applying to college is expensive.