MONTGOMERY, AL With high school graduations about to begin, what's ahead for the graduates who move on to college? Just like everything else, the cost of college is going up, and that creates a lot of anxiety for parents and students who are struggling to find ways to afford the next four years.
How much will it cost?
Where to look for financial assistance and scholarships?
How much is out there?
Higher education is coming with a higher cost.
In Alabama in-state tuition and fees at the state's two largest public universities: Auburn's main campus charges $8,700. At the University of Alabama it's about $8,600.
At smaller schools, campus size doesn't necessarily mean smaller costs. At Troy University's main campus you can expect to be charged about $7,200 a year for a typical 15 hour course load.
Alabama State University in Montgomery is on par with Troy's fees.
Private schools are more expensive. In-state private school tuition can top $23,000 per year at Samford and $20,000 at Huntingdon, $14,000 at Faulkner and, again, that's just tuition and fees. Those figures don't include a place to live, food, transportation and books. Parents and students often fail to budget for these "extras" that are absolute necessities.
"I got to college and when I went to the bookstore and I realized that I had to spend almost $500 on just books...I had to hurry up and call home and ask my mom for book money," explained Kristen Dial, councilor at Carver H.S.
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