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Figuring out Total COA

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 3:56 am
by WanderingPondering
Why is the total non-discounted cost not just full tuition+indirect expenses *3 (plus inflation/tuition hikes)??

I am looking on LST, and for example BU costs 42,000 Anne has expenses listed as 17,000. So why is the total coa listed as 225,000 instead of 59,000*3??

Am I missing something obvious? Is it assuming you are financing the degree completely with loans at 8%??

Re: Figuring out Total COA

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:03 am
by Tiago Splitter
WanderingPondering wrote:Why is the total non-discounted cost not just full tuition+indirect expenses *3 (plus inflation/tuition hikes)??

I am looking on LST, and for example BU costs 42,000 Anne has expenses listed as 17,000. So why is the total coa listed as 225,000 instead of 59,000*3??

Am I missing something obvious? Is it assuming you are financing the degree completely with loans at 8%??
The number is what you'll be at if you borrow the full COA (with tuition increases) and don't start paying those loans until 6 months after graduation.

Re: Figuring out Total COA

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 3:22 pm
by jenesaislaw
The formula uses the right interest rate for each loan you take out on a semester-by-semester basis.

Re: Figuring out Total COA

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 3:37 pm
by bernaldiaz
WanderingPondering wrote:Why is the total non-discounted cost not just full tuition+indirect expenses *3 (plus inflation/tuition hikes)??

I am looking on LST, and for example BU costs 42,000 Anne has expenses listed as 17,000. So why is the total coa listed as 225,000 instead of 59,000*3??

Am I missing something obvious? Is it assuming you are financing the degree completely with loans at 8%??
Using your BU example, they actually explain it nicely on their website.

http://www.bu.edu/law/prospective/finan ... alculator/