Intensive reading

Activity I: Orientation

1. Read the following information about the cost of attending college in the USA and calculate the average sum of money you need to pay for college per year. What is the cost of attending university in Russia?

The full cost of attending college generally has five components:

Tuition and Fees

This is the price of education. It may vary based on academic program and the number of credit hours taken each term.

• In 2011-12, public four-year colleges charged, on average, $8,244 in tuition and fees for in-state students. The average surcharge for full-time out-of-state students at these institutions was $12,526. 

• Private nonprofit four-year colleges charged, on average, $28,500 per year in tuition and fees. The most expensive college in 2011-2012 is Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, N.Y. (total cost : $59,170 per year)

• Public two-year colleges charged, on average, $2,963 per year in tuition and fees.

Room and Board

If students live and eat their meals on campus, the college bills them for these expenses. The charges vary depending on the room and meal plan they choose. The average room and board fee across all schools for the 2011-2012 academic year was $9,047.

Books and Supplies

These expenses cover course materials. The national average at four-year public colleges in 2011-12 was $1,168.

Personal Expenses

The costs for things such as laundry and cell phone service fall under personal expenses. The national average in 2011-12 for four-year public college students who live on campus was $2,066.

Transportation

Transportation is a significant expense, whether students are commuting to campus or just occasionally returning home. Four-year public college students who live on campus spent an average of $1,082 on transportation in 2011-12.

(http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/add-it-up/4494.html)

2. Look at the pie charts presenting the findings from Sallie Mae’s national study of college students and parents, conducted by Gallup in 2008 and 2011. Compare the pie charts and summarize the main differences between them.

(Http://www.Creditcards.Com/credit-card-news/how-american-families-pay-for-college-1279.Php) How the average American family pays for college (2011)

(http://www1.salliemae.com/about/news_info/research/)

Activity II. Reading for Detail

Read the following stories about student debts and fill in the table below.

	Brandon Smith	Brittany Langmeyer	Skyy Calice
How old is he/she?
What is his/her major?
How does he/she pay for college?
How big is his/her debt?
How confident does he/she feel about the future?

College Students Navigate Financial Life

by Cheryl Corley

For many high school and college seniors, graduation is a time of new beginnings and harsh realities. Their thoughts are turning to money – for tuition, rent and credit card bills. Three Illinois students have already made decisions about debt and finances that will be with them for years to come.