FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Students are finding clever ways to take a bite out of the cost of going to college, many getting help from local companies and the latest Web-based technologies. Some are doing so before they even settle on a school.
After choosing the path to higher education, the biggest decision for college-bound students — and parents — is what campus to select and how to pay for it.
Some students earn A-pluses for using the Web to cut down on time spent selecting colleges as well as costs for applying and attending — from travel expenses to book fees.
High school senior Karina Newman of Boca Raton, Fla., has turned to YourCampus360.com, which provides virtual tours and insider information, to research colleges she’s considering.
“There are so many options and it’s pretty hard to choose,” Newman said. And the website is a convenient and cheap way for the 17-year-old and her parents to learn more about different colleges. “You get an overall feeling of what it is like to be there,” she said. “You even see what the weather is like.”
Newman most recently traveled via the Internet to Ohio University, Mississippi State and Oregon Tech. They are among her top considerations in addition to Miami University, where an older sister graduated and another still attends. “I will be using the site to check out other colleges, too,” she said, without having to ask her parents or airplane tickets.
YourCampus360, with offices in Aventura, Fla., and New York City, is free to use and offers an interactive and comprehensive experience via iPhone or Android smartphones, a computer or Facebook. Via all three platforms, take virtual walking tours, which include stops at dormitories, dining halls and football stadiums. Check out videos and photos with 360-degree panoramas while learning about everything from class descriptions to campus clubs, on-campus housing to nighttime campus escort services. Visitors can even apply online.
Jaclyn Sarnese, a junior at the University of Miami, plans to trim book costs with the help of a new location-based app called Yapik, which works like a Craigslist for college students, allowing them to trade or barter for goods and services. “It’s really convenient, and I can sell my current textbooks after the semester and even buy new ones for next semester,” Sarnese said.
Sarnese said she has used Yapik to monitor what other students are offering for trade, such as sneakers and football game tickets. “I even found an offer from a student selling car wash services,” she said. Based on what she has seen so far, Sarnese believes she will be able to sell her old class books for more on Yapik than she could if she sold back to the campus bookstore. “And it looks like I will be able to buy a lot of next year’s books for less than at the bookstore, which always has the highest prices.”
Launched in September by University of Miami student Sabina Kaplan and University of South Florida graduate Cristina Dominguez, the free Yapik app for iPhone and Android devices enables students to buy or sell products nearby, chat with other students, and create profiles and lists of “favorite” friends. Currently the app is available for students at Florida International University, the University of Florida, and the University of Miami, but is scheduled to launch nationwide by next summer.
Other options:
Social networking: Facebook, Twitter and other networks deliver their own brand of insight and information. For instance, the University of Miami creates Facebook pages for classes with the help of the Student Affairs Office. Barry University created a Facebook app allowing users to browse housing opportunities and register for orientation.
College-related apps: Tap into your smartphone for help. CollegeMapp for iPhone costs $4.99 and helps high school students by mimicking a guidance counselor, helping users organize college applications, track deadlines and research admission requirements. Find it at the Apple App Store. College Confidential is a free app for Android devices that provides a wealth of information about colleges across the country, from advice on the admission processes to tips on getting into an Ivy League school. Find it at the Android Market.
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