According to Barron's Profiles of American Colleges 2017,
College costs and the resources available to parents and students to meet those costs
have changed over the years.
THE CO$T OF COLLEGE
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024 by | PUBLIC | PRIVATE | |
| $$$$ | More than $15,000 | More than $60,000 |
| $$$ | $13,001- $15,000 | $55,001 - $60,000 |
| $$ | $10,500 - $13,000 | $47,000 - $55,000 |
| $ | Less than $10,500 | Less than $47,000 |
Price categories (in the accompanying table) are based on current tuition and fees and do not include room, board, transportation, and other expenses. - Fiske Guide to Colleges (2024)
See the Average College Tuition in 2023-2024 [usnews.com]
Average Cost of College & Tuition [educationdata.org]
The living expenses you would have while attending college are similar to the living expenses you would have if you weren't attending college...
As previously noted Student teaching, Practicum and Special Projects may be required for the degree program you choose to pursue. In addition to your degree requirements you may also consider completing 'supplemental' studies.
Independent Study, Study Abroad / Student Exchange program or an Internship all provide a price-less experience and first hand knowledge but can add to the expense of your overall tuition, and in some cases may add an additional semester of coursework to your degree (Note: availability and funding will vary by institution).
Assistantship - Financial support is given to a graduate student in a support role (assistantship) for their efforts to help further the university's mission as well as the student's own education. Types of assistantships can include teaching, research, administrative, residence hall and counseling.
Externship - Unlike apprenticeship programs that teach beginners a skill while they're on the job, externships (and internships) are short-term supervised educational training programs in a workplace that are related to a college student's chosen major / career field (ie: clinical / medical, pharmacy technician, veterinary). Availability and funding for externships vary by institution.
Fellowship - Generally fellowships: are short-term opportunities lasting from a few months to several years, they focus on the professional development of the fellow, and are sponsored by a specific association or organization seeking to expand leadership in their field. - Berkeley University of California
Independent Study - Academic work chosen or designed by the student, with the approval of the department concerned, and pursued under an instructor's supervision. An independent study is usually completed outside the regular classroom setting and structure.
Internship - A short-term, supervised work experience, usually related to a student's major field for which the student earns academic credit. The work can be full- or part-time, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid, offered during the semester or during the summer (ie: Fieldwork, Student teaching). Many internships can lead to a job opportunity and will help when the graduate enters the job market.
Fieldwork - The purpose of the field education is to provide students with an opportunity to learn hands-on through an internship work experience. In addition to gaining first-hand knowledge, apply theoretical knowledge, and determine how to access appropriate resources, students learn to communicate oral, written, and technological information reflecting professional work skills (ie: Social work).
Student Teaching - A program in which education majors in their fourth year, teach in a local school, under the supervision of a licensed teacher. The student may need to relocate and is usually required to dress [casual] professional.
Practicum - A course, usually taken in the third or fourth year of college, in which classroom learning is put into practice in a clinic (ie: students in medical fields) or in a classroom (ie: education majors, library studies). Students are supervised by a working professional during this phase of their education.
Special Project - An academic project designed to allow students to synthesize and apply what they've learned in class lectures and through course work. Successful projects will produce a scholarly product. Guidelines and offerings vary by institution.
Student Exchange / Study Abroad - An arrangement by which a student completes part of the college program - typically the third year but sometimes only a semester or a summer - studying in another country. A college may operate a campus abroad, or it may have a cooperative agreement with another U.S. college or with an institution in the host country. In general studying a semester abroad adds an extra semester to your degree once you return to the States.
Study Abroad - Find a program: Intern Abroad, Volunteer Abroad, Teach Abroad, Intensive Language Immersion Studies, Full Degree Abroad.