Some parents begin setting aside money for college when prospective students are born (and sometimes even earlier) — and based on anticipated costs it’s no wonder: Annual college tuition can range anywhere from $30,780 for state schools to as much as $95,000 for private universities.^1,2

But dipping into that college savings can start long before those confetti-adorned acceptance letters arrive in inboxes. As students run down the checklist of steps to apply to college, they find many of the items come with a price tag. From application fees to the expense of submitting test scores, the costs just to apply can add up quickly. And with the college admissions landscape becoming increasingly competitive, some families are doling out thousands on pricey educational consultants and tutors to help guide them through the admissions process.

Consultants can come at a cost

With some 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S., the long task of selecting schools that are the right fit can be overwhelming for both students and families.³ Application numbers are up by 7% in 2025 — and at some elite schools, acceptances are down — and the pressure and competition to get in is fueling a $3 billion industry of independent educational consultants.^4,5

What exactly does an educational consultant do? Many have backgrounds in college admissions or as school counselors, so they’re familiar with the ins and outs of the application journey. They can help students zero in on their interests and identify a range of schools that may be a good fit for them based on academic records, course of study, size, social life, and other factors. Some may provide guidance on filling out applications and essay topics, and as an objective third party, they can help minimize tension between teens and parents during a time that can be stressful.

By some estimates, more than 50% of applicants to highly selective schools hire educational consultants.⁶ Though some will work by the hour, more commonly these advisors are paid a flat fee of around $5,000 on average.⁷ For those with Ivy League aspirations, the investment can be exponentially higher: Some families have reported paying upwards of $120,000 a year for counseling services, not including test prep, to help improve the prospects of admission to an elite university.⁸

Read more: School rules: College savings can help fund your retirement

Add tests and tutors to the tab

When standardized test centers closed during the pandemic, many colleges and universities pivoted, making the requirement to submit SAT or ACT test scores optional to the application process. Now, with schools gradually reinstating mandatory standardized tests, coupled with the challenges of the digital format implemented for the first time in 2024, business is booming for test prep centers and tutors. Some parents are paying as much as $500 an hour for services to help their kids master testing strategies and optimize scores.⁹ One of the largest test prep agencies, Kaplan, reported a double-digit year-over-year increase in enrollment, attributing the jump to the new all-digital SAT format.¹⁰

Taking the requisite tests comes at a cost too. Test registration can set students back $68 for the SAT and $65 for the ACT, plus additional fees to cancel or change a scheduled date or add-on an ACT writing section.^11,12 And for many, testing is not a one and done situation. Most colleges allow applicants to “superscore” — which means they can submit their highest scores by subject, even if the combined scores are pulled from across different test dates. Consequently, some students will retake — and pay the registration fee for — the tests several times to achieve the best results possible.

But if student hopefuls want the schools where they apply to receive their scores, then they may have to pay yet even more on top of what they’ve shelled out so far for tests. While the SAT does allow test takers a nine-day window after the test date to send scores to four schools for free, beyond that it costs $12 per additional report.¹³ And those wishing to superscore submit only partial scores from different test dates, so they can’t take advantage of the four free reports.

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Application inflation

Application fees can range from an average of about $45 to as high as $100 per application, depending on the school.¹⁴ With the Common Application allowing students to apply to as many as 20 schools, some people could be paying upwards of $2,000 to submit applications alone.¹⁵ However, some schools may offer fee waivers to applicants who have visited or demonstrated interest.

A drop in the college bucket

While some of these up-front fees may not seem like much on their own, for some families they can accumulate to thousands, especially for those who are casting a wide net. Rather than being caught off-guard or faced with sticker shock when the time comes, families may consider earmarking money specifically to fund the admissions process and looking for opportunities to reduce front-end costs, from fee waivers to streamlining the number of applications to a balanced list of “safety,” “target,” and “reach” schools.

Read more: How to consolidate and refinance your student loans