Where can I find a cost of living budget estimate for my school??

[wcombs65]

I have estimated my cost of living, which includes rent, food, gasoline, housing bills, phone, health insurance, etc, etc.  My parents are paying for nothing.  Where could I go to compare that to what my school has estimated for cost of living??  Any help at all would be great.  I'm worried that I will estimate it well above what they will and I'll get screwed in financial aid.  Everything is on me in Law School.  Every penny.

[Astro]

Just email the school's admissions office.  They'll give you an estimate.  They need to anyway for student loan applications.  If they don't have new estimates yet, they'll give you last year's.

If emailing doesn't work, call and ask them to mail it.

[wcombs65]

Thanks, J.

[Astro]

No worries.  I had to get the same *&^% last year.

[cantwaitforuva]

I'm in the same boat.

You don't need to call, all schools should have their cost of living online. If you just search for "cost of attendance" they usually break it down (ie tuition, living expenses, etc).

Just to warn you, you will almost certainly need more money than they budget for. Thank God for private loans.

[Astro]

These posts are basically correct, although I should note that not all schools have this information online (from experience).