so how much did you spend?

[fuzzylogician]

$650 - Application fees (conservative estimate of ~$80 * 8)

$225 - TOEFL

$190 - Postal fees (international, *not* overnight. Including overnighting forms to last-minute extra LOR who was out of the country)

$180 - GRE

$80 - GRE additional score reports

$80 - TOEFL additional score reports

$30 - Transcripts

$25 - GRE prep materials

$1460

[jacib]

$650 - Application fees (conservative estimate of ~$80 * 8)

$225 - TOEFL

$190 - Postal fees (international, *not* overnight. Including overnighting forms to last-minute extra LOR who was out of the country)

$180 - GRE

$80 - GRE additional score reports

$80 - TOEFL additional score reports

$30 - Transcripts

$25 - GRE prep materials

$1460

$750 - Application fees (let's say 10 at $75 a pop... but I'm not sure I'm applying to one or two of those)

$180 - GRE

$120 - GRE score reports (including schools that I didn't end up applying to... shit I realized that its +20 because I'm applying to a different department in one of my schools... that means I have to send them a bunch of things QUICK... good thing I realized.)

$50 - GRE test prep book (my coworker had other books I could borrow, luckily)

$0 - Postage (because I am abroad in a semi-developing country and I don't trust its postal system, all my schools have allowed me to email them writing samples, etc., even if they don't normal accept them electronically, thank God)

$0 - Transcripts (apparently I paid some sort of lifetime fee as part of my graduation... but I don't remember)

_____

$I'll find out for sure when the credit card bill comes.....

[Summit_Bid]

14 Application Fees at about $80 Average:$1,200

Admissions Consultant for SOPs: $1,300

Admissions Consultant for CV: $250

2 GRE Prep Courses: $1,200 *Not including gas to get there.

Postage: $45 *Not including gas to get to the post office (sent via USPS W/Delivery Confirmation).

Transcripts: $60

GRE Score Reports: $300

GRE Prep Book: $30

Paper, Envelopes and Ink: A lot of $ but it's not included in this estimate.

Total: Approx. $4,385

I work full time at a professional job and saved for a full 12 months for this. I'm broke now but I wanted to leave no stone unturned this year and went all out since getting into a PhD in my field is very competitive.

[ridgey]

14 Application Fees at about $80 Average:$1,200

Admissions Consultant for SOPs: $1,300

Admissions Consultant for CV: $250

2 GRE Prep Courses: $1,200 *Not including gas to get there.

Postage: $45 *Not including gas to get to the post office (sent via USPS W/Delivery Confirmation).

Transcripts: $60

GRE Score Reports: $300

GRE Prep Book: $30

Paper, Envelopes and Ink: A lot of $ but it's not included in this estimate.

Total: Approx. $4,385

I work full time at a professional job and saved for a full 12 months for this. I'm broke now but I wanted to leave no stone unturned this year and went all out since getting into a PhD in my field is very competitive.

Out of curiosity, what did you think of the admissions consultant? I had no idea such things existed. Not that I would have had the $ for it anyway, but now I'm intrigued. How did it affect your applications? Do you think most people would find this service valuable, or only people in your field?

[Summit_Bid]

Out of curiosity, what did you think of the admissions consultant? I had no idea such things existed. Not that I would have had the $ for it anyway, but now I'm intrigued. How did it affect your applications? Do you think most people would find this service valuable, or only people in your field?

I don't know how the admissions consultant thing worked out since I haven't heard from any schools yet. I think the real result of if it worked or not will be the indicator of money well spent...or not. As of right now though, I think it was worth it. I think my SOP was as good as it could be and really represented me. I feel confident about my apps and in no way is there a single thing about my apps that I feel like "oh, I wish I would have said this in my app" or whatever. I owet his to my consultant.

In a way I feel like I paid for piece of mind...and it's worth it. I feel like if I don't get in this year then I never will since this year I did a thorough job. If I get into a school, I believe it will be because of the consultant. If I don't, I will just think the consultant (who wasn't directly in my field but teaches in a similar field) just didn't understand the nature of the programs I applied to but will mostly think it actually wasn't her fault, just me and my degree (my master's is in an unrelated field to what I want the PhD in which is a big "no-no" for the departments I'm applying to.)

Yeah, it was expensive but I feel worth it. If you don't get in this year, save money all year like I did and get a good consultant.But again, check back with me in April and I'll let you know how it goes.

[11Q13]

~$100 transcripts

~$250 GRE and score reports

~$450 application fees

~$800 in out of pocket, not including emotional and mental costs...

Edited December 22, 2009 by 11Q13

[BCHistory]

Too much. Waaaayyyy too much.

But if I get just one fully funded acceptance, it will all be worth it.

[hall0822]

Application Fees: $40 (Applied to 4 schools but received waivers for 3 because of AmeriCorps service)

GRE: $150

Prep Materials: $50 (Thank you Borders 40% off coupons)

Transcripts: $65 (Boo Carnegie Mellon for losing mine and requiring me to resend)

________________________

$305.

I'm always suprised at how even college admissions can be "bought" in terms of high-priced prep courses/consultants and such. I'm the type that believes if it's meant to be you don't need all of those fancy things. On an AmeriCorps VISTA budget the $305 was a stretch for me.

[johndiligent]

I'm mid-career so, while expensive, it wasn't prohibitive for me. However, I don't know how those of you who are current students do it!

I couldn't afford it while I was a student, that's why I took a year off. I tried last year and when it became a question of whether I was going to have a place to live or application fees, I realised that I'd have to wait a year.

[sometimesiexist]

GRE Books, Test, Scores: 380

Transcripts: 140

Applications themselves: 785

Envelopes, Ink, Postage: 300

1605$

And if you include the lost money from taking an hour cut at work so that I could do this whole stupid process, 5 hours a week, for 12 weeks, at around 14$ an hour (I'm a waitress, so it varies): 840$ (at least)

GRAND TOTAL: $2445

I took out an extra $3000 in student loans because I'm on my own, working as a waitress, and taking full loads of classes and writing a thesis.

Thinking about all this money makes me a little ill...I wanted a new computer because mine is eight years old...that isn't going to happen anytime soon though.

[profound_g]

1 GRE

1 TOEFL

4 Application fees

4 Score reports

4 Express mailing supporting materials

------

~$1000

Not to mention all the time invested.

Edited December 28, 2009 by profound_g

[rainy_day]

1 GRE : $150

1 GRE Lit: $140

GRE score reports: $100

Application fees: $335

TOTAL: $725

Ugh. That is depressing.

Edited December 28, 2009 by rainy_day

[expressionista]

Some of these are approximate because I can't remember. My dad kindly paid for my postage as an applying to grad school gift.

1 GRE: $150

Additional score report: $20

Transcripts: $100

Portfolio materials: $50

Portfolio printing: $35

Application fees: $240

Total: $595 plus about 1000$ in tuition and books for two classes I need for one of the programs I applied to.

I totally didn't realize it was that expensive.

[APHI224]

Let's see...

$1100 GRE Prep

$150 GRE test

$220 to send GRE scores

$30 to send transcripts

$100 books to help with the process

$920 Application fees

____________________

$2,520

I'm sure theres been other miscellaneous charges somewhere... I sure hope I get in somewhere

Oh, if I include the money for my undergraduate edcaution, add about 200k to that lol

Edited January 1, 2010 by APHI224