PLEASE DELETE Forum

[GEMJRERCHS]

PLEASE DELETE

[bowser]

The budget for rent is often way below what you'll spend. I pay close to 15,000 in rent a year at Columbia, and they only budget like 5,000 for it.

[rinkrat19]

The accuracy will vary a lot according your lifestyle. If you live far from campus in a hovel shared with 8 other people and eat nothing but rice and beans and never ever go out or do anything at all recreational, your COA estimate will be way too high. If you attend Northwestern and live near school, it'll barely cover you, but it can be done. Likewise, if you attend Northwestern and live up in Lincoln park with a roommate, the COA will be quite generous and might even cover the summer.

[burtmacklin]

The budget for rent is often way below what you'll spend. I pay close to 15,000 in rent a year at Columbia, and they only budget like 5,000 for it.

Do they really? What do they think you're gonna split a studio in Queens three ways?

[Tiago Splitter]

The budget for rent is often way below what you'll spend. I pay close to 15,000 in rent a year at Columbia, and they only budget like 5,000 for it.

Do they really? What do they think you're gonna split a studio in Queens three ways?

This site says $12,000. Keep in mind that's for 9 months.

[jbagelboy]

New York/SF COA figures tend to underestimate. You'll spend more unless you are at the bottom spectrum of rent prices/never go out. Durham, Ann Arbor, ect. overstate the amount you'll need to spend. My friend at Duke pays $450/month in a house share, and less than $200/month on groceries.

[thechancellor]

You're probably best off talking to current students of the specific school, who can give you a realistic range of how much you'll need to spend on groceries, rent, and utilities. I would imagine that your ability to rely on library materials rather than buying your own would also vary from school to school, although that's speculation on my part.