1. Beware hidden costs

Paying for college includes more than just tuition, room and board and books. You'll be shelling out cash on mandatory orientation events, extra lab fees and even books that can't be bought in the university bookstore. When in doubt about your financial aid, always ask about what "other" costs you'll have to pay.

My experience: I was bombarded with "small" extra fees that added up quickly, like the $20 that came out of my pocket for a physical education booklet and a mandatory University event. So much for the money I'd saved for shopping that weekend!

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