When thinking of Senior year there are many exciting, not to be missed, and memorable moments that come to mind. Pep Rally. Senior Seminar. Prom. Graduation. And finally all the complex emotions that come along with leaving classmates and friends behind, going separate ways after being together for so many years.

But putting all the excitement and activities aside, many fail to consider one important factor: how costly senior year can be.

Senior year starts off with making plans for years following high school. Are you planning on going to college? Well, that will cost you. Application costs vary between schools, and can sometimes reach as high as $75-$100. And this price is for individual applications alone. Don’t want to risk not getting in? Well then you will have to apply to more schools. On average, students apply to 7-10 colleges, making it fairly easy to spend close to $1000 on just applying.

What about the dreaded SAT and ACT? Simply just taking these tests comes with a cost of about $50, and you’ll probably want to retake multiple times in order to get a desired score. Additionally, in order to do well on these standardized tests which are required for most colleges, many students take specialized classes or even receive private tutoring. Tutoring costs on average can range from $40-$100 an hour, which adds up.

And what about all the class trips? Prom bids? What about a prom dress or tux? There are even more costs to be accounted for, each with multiple costs beyond the initial fee. Along with being given the opportunities to bond with the grade during these events, seniors are also granted senior privileges. For example, during activity period seniors are allowed to leave campus and go wherever they want for lunch. However, this still comes with responsibility.

When asked, EHS seniors Brianna Galeazza and Matthew Nicholas said that they spend the majority of their money on food and gas. Both agree that being allowed to leave the campus during lunch and study hall presents more spending opportunities. With freedom comes great responsibility, and it is important that senior students are able to manage their money.

The following is a cost analysis based on what a senior student may have to pay for throughout the year:

Possible expenses:
College applications → $525 (7 schools applied to, $75 per school)
Prom Bids → $100
Yearbook →$110
Project graduation → $450
Class dues → $20
Field trips/Senior Seminar → $200
Standardized testing→ $150 (SAT taken 3 times)
Tutors (SAT tutors) → $750 (10 sessions, $75 per hour)
Senior package(cap, gown) → 75$
Grand Total: $2,380

While senior year is an exciting final year to bond with your grade before highschool ends, there is also a price to pay. Juniors, start saving your money!