The Wheels Turn Slowly

So today i bought all my text books :-/ $600+ that i really don't have. Of course the "budget" estimates that books for the semester should be like $450.... so before i have even received my refund check... i'm over the budget.
*sigh*

I honestly don't get it. I mean if the school works with a bookseller and the bookseller determines the price, why can't the school better estimate the cost of books? I'm sure they'll rationalize that you don't have to buy "optional" books (although the professors will vehemently disagree) and that you can buy used books. I'll admit i'm a bit of a book snob, but i just can't sort thru someone else's highlights and underlining to determine what i think is important. It's psychological.

I'm also a little bothered that the school budgets for "personal expenses" based on Health Insurance costing $770... the actual cost of health care is $950. I'm sure this seems very nitpicky but when you aren't allowed to work, every bit helps.

My final financial aid rant is this: You can borrow up to an additional $2000 to cover the cost of a laptop... cool. The laptop has to be purchased after 7/1 but before classes start... cool. The school disburses $1000 per semester to cover the costs.... not cool. Lemme show you some numbers so y'all don't think i'm insane:

	Full-time Student	Part-time Student
Tuition	$30,528	$21,489*
Fees - General/SBA Sports Center Technology Fee	340 130 110	248 60 40
Housing@ 955 per month	8,596	8,596
Board/Food@ 301 per month	2,709	2,709
Books**	915	630
Transportation	1,880	1,880
Personal***	2,600	2,600
Total	$ 47,808	$ 38,252

Living expenses are based on the nine month academic year

Costs by Semester

Tuition and Fees	$15,554	$10,918.50
Books	457.50	315
Living/Personal Expenses	$7,892.50	$7,892.50
Total	$23,904	$19,126

Now let's look at a few things off the top... they're budgeting $955 a month for rent... in the DC metro area... yes, it can be done but it is HIGHLY unlikely. Transpo: $1880. If you park that's about $832 leaving you $116 per month for transpo for 9 months. That's great if all you need is gas and you never have to have your car serviced, and you have a small car with good gas milage. Of course with $995 a month for rent you're living nowhere close to campus and you're probably stressed out because you have to drive an hour a day to get to and from class. Yes, you could take metro... but at the least you're spending about $60 a month which leaves you an extra $154 a month. Perhaps that can go towards rent so that you can actually live close enough to only pay $60 a month for metro.

So ok let's look at the charges on my account:

Date	Description	Charge	Credit
07/26/2004	Stud Technology Fee	55.00
07/26/2004	Activity Fee	170.00
07/26/2004	Tuition	15,264.00
07/26/2004	Sports Center Fee	65.00
07/26/2004	Health Insurance Fee	950.00

hmmm... this equals: $16,449
plus the $600 for text books and we're at $17,049
This brings my rent/personal expenses down to: $6855... that's quite a bit less than the "budget" is it not?

In all fairness, let's add that $1000 for the laptop ($7855) and then drop it down to $6255 since i have to pay for the entire laptop upfront and not $1000 per semester as the school seems to think is appropriate.

Soooo.... I have $6255 or $1563.75 to last me from September to December... and *by law* i am not allowed to work.... anyone see any problems?

Pray for me y'all

I Got In

I received an email today telling me that i had been accepted into the program that i mentioned last time... I'm ecstatic and a bit unnerved. I'm not sure what will happen to me in law school, but i know i'm off to a good start.

*raises glass*

CHEERS

Getting Ahead

I've applied for a 10 day course at my school designed to help prepare 1Ls for their first year. I had been toying with the idea for some time and decided to go ahead and apply. The cost is included in the tuition and upon completion i'd receive 2 credit hours. I think it'd be a good opportunity for me to get in there and get my mind working right away and to meet some of my classmates since i've punked out of every happy hour.

Registration Paperwork

I have officially begun the registration process for law school. I received the forms yesterday and printed everything out. I even went ahead and faxed back my forms today.
*pats self on back*

It's funny because now that i think about it, school is JUST around the corner. Just last month i was complaining about how long everything was taking, but now... it's like right there.

I'm also applying to take a "prep" course for law school. It's not one of those $1000 programs offered by a third party. This one is actually offered by the school and the cost is covered in my tuition. Additionally, upon satisfactory completion, I will receive 2 credits towards my JD.

Hopefully i will be selected. I am still afraid that i am not on the same level as my peers. I think that participating in the program will give me a chance to get my brain working and ready to go.