|
Aside from the cost of tuition, many independent and private schools have additional expenses you must be aware of before deciding what school to send your children to. Some of these expenses might be included in the tuition fees and that one-time registration fee that some schools charge is something you’ll want to avoid paying a second time by switching to a different school.
Here are the yearly costs to research when visiting schools and some money saving options to ask about when talking to schools about expenses.
Books
It is best to research how many books, on average, per grade, a school requires and roughly how expensive those books are. Also, you’ll want to know how frequently the school upgrades its textbooks so you can decide whether purchasing used textbooks will be an option. Many textbooks and books are becoming available digitally which might save some money; ask a school whether this is something they support or not.
Busing
Inquire about the cost of sending your child to day school on a bus. Selecting a school that is close to home or on your commute to work may be more cost effective.
Extra class supplies
depending on the type of school and the selection of classes, there may be additional costs such as art supplies, musical instruments, sports equipment and science experiments to name a few.
Meals
Understand what meals, if any, are included and their tuition price. This is particularly important when choosing a boarding school. You’ll also want to make sure the school accommodates any dietary restrictions or beliefs your child may require, for the same price.
Trips
Ask a school about the types of trips they plan and which are part of the curriculum or extracurricular. Where one school’s trip is the zoo, another might travel to Europe or Africa.
Laptop computer
Frequently more and more common in schools, especially for older children, are laptops for every student. A school may require a computer with certain hardware and software necessities so it is best to get a detailed list of requirements from the school. In many cases, a used laptop that is a couple years old could be all that your child needs.
Uniforms
Many schools have parents that run second-hand uniform sales, reducing the cost of uniforms significantly. It is also a way for parents to receive some money back when their children graduate or move on to a different school.
—David Field
|
