the Cost of College Tuition

$8500 covers tuition for one semester at a private college. Anywhere from 12-16 credit hours may be taken per semester. In addition, there is a fee of $50 for registration, a $75 activity fee, an $80 transportation fee, $70 for orientation and $50 for health center fees.

Although much more expensive than a state school, so far this seems to be worth the extra cost. Our son has only been attending this school for a semester so the jury is still out, but so far he is loving it and seems to be learning more than he did at the state school he attended. One big advantage is the smaller class sizes. At the large state school, he had some classes with hundreds of other students. He didn't get to know many of them, in fact never even sat near the same one more than twice, and didn't get to know the professors at all. At this smaller private school the classes generally have less than 20 students in them. There is much more one on one interaction with the professors, who seem to genuinely care about the students. Surprisingly there are also many more specialized, hands-on type classes available at this school than at the larger ones, and many more relevant internship opportunities.

The only down side I see is the cost -- about twice as much as a state school. But if you can afford it, it really is well worth it.

Plan ahead for a private school as the cost really is quite a bit more than a state school. Look into scholarships, grants, etc. well in advance. Be sure to research all of the extra fees involved. Many classes have additional lab charges in addition to tuition and books.