How Your Child’s Senior Year in High School Could Cost You a Small Fortune

My daughter just celebrated a birthday a few weeks ago. I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by and that she is almost a grown woman. It has been an amazing journey. As she is nearing the second half of her junior year in high school, she has already started coming home with information regarding her senior year. The last year of high school can be rather expensive and parents are expected to open up their wallets to pay for all of the things related to their senior year.

High School Ring

My daughter brought home a package from Josten’s and asked for a class ring for Christmas. My jaw dropped when I saw the price tags. These rings cost any where from $250 and higher, depending on what your student wants. I tried to explain to her that most people don’t end up wearing their class rings after school. If your child really wants a class ring, I highly suggest that you shop around to find the best deal or even find a different type of ring that they can wear for the rest of their lives in their school colors.

Senior Photos

I remember going to have my senior photos taken over the summer just before my senior year. Your school district probably already has a photographer lined up for your photo shoot. I remember that they took several poses including me in my cap and gown, a glamour shot, and one for the year book. Their professional packages are generally expensive and can set you back several hundred dollars. Instead of purchasing photos from their expensive package choices, hire your own professional photographer so that you can purchase the rights to all of the photos. Then you can print them at your leisure or send them electronically to friends and family.

Yearbook

The cost of a yearbook will set you back any where from $50 to $100. Plus, if you want to include a advertisement page to congratulate your child or treat it like a scrapbook memory page. Those fees can easily add up quickly.

Prom

Prom is a huge deal for most seniors and if your child wants to go it will easily set you back a few hundred dollars. Of course, if you start shopping for your daughter’s dress now for the best selection. Plus, if you start looking now you might be able to find something on clearance or you can even order a dress online from OKDress. If ordering online, I highly suggest that you get measured by a professional before placing your order. Prom dress sizes run differently than standard clothing and you don’t want to end up ordering the wrong size.

Don’t forget that you have to purchase shoes, jewelry, and any accessories to go with your prom dress. Girls typically have their hair and make up done by a professional. However, these are things that you can do yourself to save some money. You can probably find plenty of choices on pinterest that include a tutorial. If you plan on doing your daughter’s hair, you should have a practice run to make sure that it turns out good before the big day.

College Prep Exams

If your child is planning on going to college, they will need to take the SAT or ACT tests in order to possibly get into the school of their choice. These tests can easily run up a tab especially if your child doesn’t pass the first time. There are also courses available to teach you how to pass the test, which can easily add $100 or more to your tab.

College Application Fees

Colleges usually charge you an application fee just to apply to their college. An application fee doesn’t even guarantee  that you will be accepted into the college. College expenses can be rather hefty so it is best if your child narrows down their college choice down to two or three. This will keep you from shelling out a ton of cash on college application fees. Just remember that in state tuition is cheaper than out of state colleges. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of visiting several college campuses to determine which college best suits your child.

Graduation

After you get through the end of your child’s senior year, you will have to purchase your child’s graduation invitations, cap and gown, and tassle. You are looking to spend at least $100 just to get your child ready to walk across the stage. If your school’s invitations are super expensive and you have a large family, I suggest making some cheaper DIY version of your school invitations on your printer. This will reduce costs.

I can’t believe how much the last year of high school can cost parents. Unless your student has a job, you will more than likely be footing the bill for some of these senior year expenses.

Do you have any additional money saving tips for parents with a senior in high school?