How much does NOVA really cost?

[AVkidd]

Its listed that NOVA will cost about 45k a year (w/ in-state), but ive heard people say that NOVA gossly over estimates this. My question to students is, how much do you actually spend per year? Also what is your living situation and prince?

thanks!

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[Dwight Schrute]

The budget sheet NOVA gives you was an overestimate for me. For out of state tuition and off campus living they estimated about $46,700 for the first year, but my yearly budget turned out to be a bit over $39,000, where $20K is tuition and $12K is housing and the rest are all misc. things.

 

[AVkidd]

anyone else with input?

 

[vsarge0708]

For first year, 2007-2008, I took out the federal loan limit of $40,500 and it was pretty tight [I believe Nova had an estimate of about $49,000]. I'm splitting rent-paying about $700.00 a month with utilities, I don't have a car, and I don't party like a rock star and money was still tight. This year I think Nova has an estimate of around $52,000+, so I'm taking out the federal limit of $44,000 and plan on doing work study for another $2000. The financial estimates they give you may seem high, but when you don't have any supplementary income the funds deplete real fast.

 

[hello07]

Staggering, to say the least. $160 to $200,000.00 to become an OPTOMETRIST. That is insane. I don't want to start any wars over this but...........................God Bless you all! since you want it so much.

 

[sportvision]

this is crazy...and interest on top of that

 

[swiftiii]

$40-45k is reasonable for out of state. I spend $24K on tuition, which includes $2K for health insurance. Then you have your equipment, which averages out to about $1K per year. That leaves you $15-20K for living expenses. I figured it out and you can live the same either on campus or off, it just depends on what you need and how many people you're willing to live with. I have cats and my own furniture (full house full), so it makes it a lot harder. But you could spend about $600/mo on rent ($5K/yr), $2k for food, which brings your total to $31k. The specific items you need to spend on after that, I cannot say.

I spend about $40k per year because I have to pay a lot more for rent...and I like to eat. If you are in state, it's going to cost you about $10K less. So, in the end, you could definitely get away with only spending $25k/$35k if you don't go too crazy.

BTW Work study, great idea. You should always take it, but you don't have to get a job. It's just there if you want to, which I did, and so did some of my classmates.

Also, I think there is something us students all need to think about. If you take it, most likely you will spend it. I am pretty tight about money, but with everything that goes on, sometimes I find it easier to take all I can get and not worry about what I spend (and trust me, I am an anal tight-wad). Make sure to give back anything you really don't need!

Let me know if you would like any more specifics.

 

[AVkidd]

Wow... 25k- 35K/year for instaters?! NOVA estimates 45K for in- staters. I thought 40K would be extremely frugal, but thats alot for the input... I'm just worried about loans getting out of control.

I was wondering if getting a work study job was hard... one that would let me study while I work. When should I apply? right when I get to school/

 

[gochi]

I think the amount of dollars you extract from work/study is negligible. If you really want to work/study, then getting an actual job that pays well would be best.

 

[drbizzaro]

I think the amount of dollars you extract from work/study is negligible. If you really want to work/study, then getting an actual job that pays well would be best.

in some schools, there are tutoring programs where upper classmen would tutor lower classmen for 10/hour (paid by the school)... they would scam this system by writing in 5 hours/day instead of the usual 1 hour... i saw some students rack in 40 hours a week by tutoring 10 students in one session (even though this was forbidden) (they were paid via a signature sheet by the other students)

 

[swiftiii]

You are limited by the unflexibility of your schedule to find a job. Some of my classmates were RAs so that's one option. You can also work at the gym for $7.50 or a library for about $8.50. Some others work at restaurants, but I don't know much about that never having done so. The job market around here is apparently terrible according to my neighbor who can afford to work full time and still only gets $7.00. If you are willing to drive, your best option for having a job that fits your schedule and pays a lot is with America Read/America counts where you tutor afterschool elementary kids for $13.00. Our school tutors are BSK, so you wouldn't be able to do that your first year.

As for applying, you can do it at any time. You can go to the Nova webpage to find a link to the available workstudy and/or on campus positions available. Then you just drop the required form off at the Horwowitz building. All the specifics you need are under the same link.

Good luck.

 

[Oculomotor]

My advice to anyone who gets accepted to a school in an area with a lower cost of living-----Go there instead of NOVA! My 1100.00/ month for a one bedroom apartment is average for the area. Places like Indiana, Ohio State, have a much lower cost of living than south Florida and will equal less debt in the long run. SAVE MONEY

 

[JMU07]

My advice to anyone who gets accepted to a school in an area with a lower cost of living-----Go there instead of NOVA! My 1100.00/ month for a one bedroom apartment is average for the area. Places like Indiana, Ohio State, have a much lower cost of living than south Florida and will equal less debt in the long run. SAVE MONEY

Heck yeah. Memphis is cheap. I won't go so far as to say you'll have less debt here than anywhere else, but... the tuition is really low and we have the lowest cost of living. You just have to research the area and make sure you don't end up living in a sketchy area of the city.