College · Family Resources · Applications

What applying
will really cost,
college by college.

List the colleges on the application list with each fee, the cost of sending scores and any other charge. The calculator totals it, shows what waivers save and how the total sits against your budget, before the deadlines arrive.

Add up the costsWhat you get

The application fee calculator

The worked example is made up: seven colleges, two with fee waivers, and a $500 budget. Nothing you type leaves this browser.

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What you get

College · Family ResourcesFree

What you finish with
The total cost of the application list, savings from waivers, the average per college, the gap to your budget and each college ranked by cost. It prints as a one-page summary and downloads as a spreadsheet.
Who it is for
High school juniors and seniors, families planning the application season, and school counselors.
Format
Browser calculator for a phone, tablet or computer, by touch or keyboard. Up to 30 colleges. Prints a summary; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); export and import a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Family Resources space in Caveat College.
Support
Questions, a correction or a request: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Type initials and, if you have one, a budget.
  2. Add each college with its application fee from its admission page.
  3. Add score-sending costs and other charges where they apply, and mark waivers.
  4. Read the total and which colleges cost most.
  5. Print the summary or download the spreadsheet.

Add up the costs

How the total is worked out

Fees, less waivers, plus the extras.

The worked example, fee by feeFees not waived$300five applicationsWaived− $135two applicationsScore sends and other+ $117$60 sends, $57 otherTotal$417for seven applicationsThe worked example, fee by feeFees not waived$300five applicationsWaived− $135two applicationsScore sends and other+ $117$60 sends, $57 otherTotal$417for seven applications
Two fee waivers take $135 off the list; score sends and profile or portfolio fees still add up, to a total of $417.

The arithmetic

For each college the page adds the application fee (or nothing, if waived), the cost of sending official test scores and any other charge, then adds the colleges together and divides by how many there are for the average. Fees are yours to type, because colleges set and change them every year.

Ways to spend less

Students with financial need can usually request fee waivers, through the application platform, the testing agency or a school counselor, and many colleges waive fees for early applicants or campus visitors. Some colleges accept self-reported scores and ask for official ones only after admission. A few charge nothing at all.

Sources

  1. National Association for College Admission Counseling. Application fee waiver guidance (nacacnet.org).
  2. College Board. Sending SAT scores and SAT fee waivers (satsuite.collegeboard.org).
  3. ACT. Sending scores and fee waivers (act.org).
  4. U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid. Preparing for college: applying (studentaid.gov).

The worked example is made up. Fees and waiver rules change; check each college and testing agency. Your list stays in this browser. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.