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How much money did you spend on your graduate school applications?


chaospaladin

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I applied to 12 and I think if I just include GRE scores/test (what a joke!), application fees (average cost $60), background check, transcript fees, etc. it added up to about $1,200 roughly. Then I tried to drive and stay with grad students for my interviews but had to fly across the country for one interview so I'd say I spent 700ish (flights $350, hotels $200) on hotels/flights/food while traveling.

So happy I can say I got accepted and that it was worth it because my wallet hasn't stopped crying since August :huh:

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Granted, I applied last year, but I think I spent around $600. 

It helped that I didn't apply to many ivies. Their application fees are a wee bit expensive. I think Cornell's was $95.

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I applied to four different masters program for a total of 400$ CA (approx. 100$ CA per application). I applied to four universities because I was unsure where I wanted to do my MSW and also because I wasn't sure if I was going to be accepted in any program (although I have good grades, research experience and a good CV).

I ended up giving up one application because I did not get the SSRHC scholarship at that specific university, I was deemed not eligible because of 0.3% missing for my grades for my second year of study full-time.

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I spent $0 on 6 Ph.D. applications this year because of the McNair Scholars fee waiver. Many universities tend to offer graduate school fee waivers to current (and most times, former) McNair Research Scholars. I know this doesn't apply to most people, but if you're a McNair, or from an underrepresented background, check to see if the school offers fee waivers! Some schools also offer fee waivers to other types of disadvantaged applicants (low-income, first-generation, etc.), just check the website or ask the graduate department.

I only applied to programs with McNair fee waivers (fortunately most of the schools I was interested in) and only had to pay to send my GRE scores.

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I ended up spending $1000 CAD (~745 USD) as I applied to 5 schools, but I wrote the GRE twice (yikes! big regret on how I approached the GRE the first time especially given the exchange rate :huh:). Sending transcripts is free at my school and since I only applied to 2 US schools, I did not have to pay extra for sending scores. 

Edited by RBspkRuP
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15 hours ago, Anthonybobjones said:

I only applied to programs with McNair fee waivers (fortunately most of the schools I was interested in) and only had to pay to send my GRE scores.

Same for me, so l spent $135 sending 5 GRE scores.

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Oh gosh..I applied to over 8 schools. Then, had the GRE test fee+sending the scores to additional schools. It had to be something over $700

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  • 4 weeks later...

Here's mine:

GRE total: $506

  • Prep: $79
  • Test: $400 (had to forfeit $200 when I couldn't bring my passport with me because it was currently in processing with the government and mistakenly thought I could have a notarized photocopy of it, so I had to pay an additional $200 for the test I actually took)
  • Scores: $27

Transcripts: $10

Application Fees: $610

Total: $1126

My advice would be to not pay for the GRE twice.  Jesus.  The only reason my score cost was so low is because I 1) sent scores on test day and 2) Northwestern didn't require GRE, so I only had to send one additional score.  Test prep was worth it.  I just wish that I could have found more (any) application fee waivers for me because I'm currently teaching ESL making ~$12000 USD a year, so this was brutal.  I'll be paying it off for a while.  But because I got into my top choice (... and nowhere else...), I guess it was worth it!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I applied to 13 schools.  I spent about $2,000 when it was all said and done on sending GRE's, transcripts, and application fees.  I was accepted at only 1 of 13 schools though so I guess it paid off to apply to so many.  

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10 programs, average of $80 per application, plus taking the GRE, sending scores, paying for official paper transcripts (why does anyone ask for offical transcripts before they accept you???), Interfolio fees... over a $1000 easy

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Not pretty.

GRE twice: $410 (thanks, spontaneous 4 am drunk housemate birthday that happened the night before attempt one)

GRE scores: $108

App fees for 6 schools, one $200 fee waived: $430

Transcripts: $30

Test prep (Magoosh, two books): $100

Rounding up to about $1100 to include all of the late night CVS junk food I stress ate while studying and writing essays after work at the office. 

 

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2 universities for me, and both are in NY. One charged $50 and the other cost me $150. None required GRE though but due to the program length being 2 years (my family would rather have me do an accelerated 1-year Masters) I would have to decline both offers & apply to a couple programs in Cali that match my interest so I would have to take the GRE for those, unless I'm ok with the UK. 

Edited by jazzontherocks
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15 Applications.

GRE: $650 (Some were resent)

Applications: $500 (McNair helped with the others)

Transcripts: $400 transcripts (I had three transcripts from three different schools)

Total: $1550'ish

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  • 3 weeks later...
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