You may be surprised by the number of unfamiliar terms associated with college and college life. Undergraduate, TA, accreditation, Greek life, the FAFSA—high school counselors and college admissions officers use these terms every day. Unfortunately, they don’t always stop to explain what each term means.
The “College Speak” series explains the college-oriented vocab that you need to be in the know and focus on the more important questions, such as “which school would be the best fit for me?”
Today’s terms are:
- tuition,
- fees,
- room and board, and
- cost of attendance.
Tuition: When you look up the cost of a college or university, the tuition is usually the biggest number. It’s the cost of just about everything not accounted for by the school’s fees (see below) or its room and board (also see below).
Among other things, your tuition helps to pay for faculty and administrator salaries, the library, lab equipment, and building upkeep.
Public colleges and universities often have two different tuition rates: one for in-state students and one for out-of-state students.
Some schools charge tuition by the semester, trimester, or quarter; other schools charge tuition by the credit.
Fees: You may see this cost lumped with tuition or on its own. Some colleges and universities itemize their individual fees while others provide a single blanket fee.
So what kinds of fees are there? You may encounter fees for on-campus technology, student activities, and basic medical services, just to name a few. Most schools will also require you to purchase health insurance unless you are covered under one of your parent’s plans.
Even if you don’t think you will use a particular service, you can’t opt out of any fees; all students must pay ahead of time for these services. The good news is that students can take advantage of these services without additional charge once school starts.
Room and Board: These terms are often lumped together, though they also may be listed separately. If you plan to live on campus when you go to college, this charge will apply to you.
Room refers to the room or apartment where you will live on campus—this cost is basically your rent.
Board is the food you will eat on campus. Most colleges and universities require on-campus students to purchase a meal plan that accounts for three meals a day.
Cost of Attendance: Also called the “sticker price,” this includes the college’s tuition and fees as well as its room and board for those students who will be living on campus.
Additionally, cost-of-attendance includes out-of-pocket costs that a student will incur (i.e., expenses that won't be covered by the school). Out-of-pocket costs generally include books and supplies for courses, travel to and from home, and a catch-all: “personal expenses.” Don’t get any big ideas about this last one—it is usually one of the smallest items in the cost of attendance.
Click here to see the previous entry in the College Speak series.
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