By Stephanie Gross

Staff Writer

Seniors can run through quite a bit of money over the course of their senior year.

At the beginning of senior year, students start applying to college and can spend a great deal of money on necessary expenses such as college applications. Depending on the college, the application fees can run between $50 to $70 per school.

For example, the application fee for the University of Texas at Austin is $75.

Seniors , however, spend a lot of money on things that do not quite matter as much. Many senior girls partake in the tradition of purchasing senior overalls and spend a lot of money to decorate them. The cost of the overalls and decorations can cost around $250. Let’s not forget prom. Prom dresses and accessories can be very expensive, often costing several hundred dollars.

So here is the question: Why do seniors spend so much money? I understand that students want to have an enjoyable and memorable senior year, but why spend so much money during your last year of high school when you could be saving that money for college?

At the end of the day, students should be saving their money  for things that will matter in the long run such as college tuition and living expenses and not spending it for things such as elaborate senior overalls and expensive prom dresses.

Thinking about things in the long run, will it really matter in 10 years if the dress you wore to prom was the most noticeable or your senior overalls were the best looking? No, what will matter is how much money you are able to save up and utilize for your higher education. At the end of the day, college is what gets your further along in life than how much money you spend in your last year of high school.

It seems like many seniors always follow these senior traditions, almost like they are pressured into it. My advice is to still partake in all of the activities but maybe not spend such a large amount of money on all of the things that go along with senior year. Still decorate senior overalls but maybe do not use as expensive fabric and decorations or apply to only four or five colleges instead of ten or twelve. The less costs, the less stress there is.

Here is a solution: enjoy the fun things senior year has to offer, but at the same time keep in mind all of the costs and college expenses  that will soon be coming  down the road. All it takes is to just be a little aware of the costs.