Romero 1

Aaron Romero
Ms.Stinnett
English 12:1
Sept 3 2016
The Cost of Higher Learning
Introduction
The road to a successful career is filled with many stepping stones and a solid next step after secondary
education is the base of college. In this pursuit of higher level education I will initiate with an
enrollment into Chandler Gilbert community college. In Chandler Gilbert community college I will
earn the base foundational credits before transferring to a larger university in an effort to save money
and minimize cost, in comparison to plunging strait into the university and paying more for the same
objectives.
Housing Information
The institution of Chandler Gilbert community college is rather small in comparison to the universities
and as such does not have standard Dormitories at their locations in exception to the their campus
location of Williams. With this in mind the only housing accounted for in this piece are that of a
comparison of studio and two bedroom apartments near campus as the dorms at Williams are irrelevant
as it is impractical in all case to students only attending the local Chandler-Gilbert campus.

Studio Apartment Housing

The Highlands at Spectrum is a studio apartment located in Gilbert close proximity to CGCC campus.
It Comes equipped with full size washers and dryers high speed wireless wifi and is open to most all
pets large and small. This unit also has waste disposal ,microwave , oven and dishwasher as well as
standard cooking appliances. This apartment unit comes at 661 square feet including within the rent

Romero 2
internet fees and cable. The Highlands at Spectrum have a deposit and application fee totaling in $140
in addition to the base rent of $975 a month totaling in $11840 for 12 months in addition to average
utility user totaling in $1440 as well food costs being $1800.

Studio Apartment floor plan (Highlands at Spectrum)

2 Bedroom Non-Studio Apartment
Greentree Place apartments are located in Chandler within close proximity to the CGCC campus. The
apartment at Greentree has a dishwasher internet connection and cable however lacks an washer and
dryer . This apartment lacks the space of the studio with 2 bedrooms instead. This apartment is 862
square feet. The Greentree place requires a an application fee as well as a deposit totaling in $130 the
rent is $883 a month being $10596 for 12 months in addition to utility use for 12 months being $1440
and food expenditures being $1800.

Romero 3

2 Bedroom floor plan (Greentree Place)

Data
With this information gathered from analyzing two separate apartment housing options that of a studio
and a two bedroom apartment the results will be presented in a data table . This data table will visually
demonstrate the monetary difference between dwelling in theses apartments by including rent costs
utilities and food costs.
Housing for 12 months

Studio Apartment

2 Bedroom apartment (split rent)

Rent(+application/deposit)

11840

5438

Utilities

1440

1440

Food cost

1800

1800

Total

15080

8678

Studio Apartment
2 Bedroom
Apartment (split
rent)

Romero 4

Housing Reflection
The housing offered to the students at CGCC is absent of dorms and as such the decision of housing
was weighed in between two apartments. The studio apartment is more luxurious with more space for a
single individual however this weighs in hard on a single renter with it being double the price of that of
a 2 bedroom apartment. The 2 bedroom apartment is the most practical as although it requires sharing
with a roommate the split costs makes it an ideal choice for the number crunching college student
willing to sacrifice comfort for savings.

Financial Plan
When venturing into the realm of college cots not only is housing a significant factor but so is the large
tuition costs as well as books and supplies. The tuition costs for a year at a community college stack up
with spring and fall semesters coming in at 8312 and books and supplies for both semesters costing an
excess of two thousand dollars in addition to about a thousand of car expenditures in a year. For more
personal expenses such as eating out those are relatively minimal as eating out is something I dont do
often being at about 200 a year.

Estimated Expenses
The prime expense to be considered and decided upon is that of the housing cost. The most viable
choice which leaves room for money to be allotted elsewhere is the 2 bedroom apartment at Greentree
that totals assuming split costs with another roommate at 8678 dollars a year. The option of a studio
apartment is too expense and impractical with all that space being unnecessary and a waste of money
for a single dweller. This cost will be in addition to the tuition fees of the college and other external
fees apart from housing. The expenses of car travel will be significant even if limited to gas and not to
payments at about a thousand dollars.
Romero 5

Estimated Income
The income available to pay the towing masses of fees to come with college will be a standard job
which I have calculated with expendable hours can accumulate $8000+ a year, however this alone will
not cover my expenses and I will utilize saving I have garnered in an excess of a thousand dollars.
Funds in addition I will excess too are various gifts from birthdays and significant holidays as well my
saved gift from reaching the age of 18 which will likely total in $2000. My parents however are willing
to help set me up with a backing of five thousand dollars rather than to have me garner any debt early
in life.
Data
In calculation of total expenses and income I have gathered in two tables the expenditures and income
such as savings, parental support, gifts and job income. In the column of expenses listed are financial
expenditures of the such to include room and board eating out and cell phone plans.
Income

Calculation for a year

Job

8350

Parents

5000

Savings

1000

gifts

2000

Other

1000

Total

17350

Romero 6

Expenses estimated for Chandler Gilbert

Community College

Yearly amount

Tuition/Fees

8312

Books and Supplies

2576

Room and Board

8678

Computer expenses

1200

Car expenses

1200

Cell phone plan

1100

Entertainment/Eating out

300

Personal

500

Total

23866

Expenses Income Chandler Community College 2017-2018

30000

25000

20000
Income
15000

Expenses

10000

5000

Financia

l Plan Reflection
what I have learned is invaluable and a good lesson as although this is an extreme rough estimate it
depicts the difference in expectation of what you can achieve right of the bat into college. This in the
sense I mean style of life and means of living as I expected to happen is that an adolescent living in

Romero 7
their parents will have to come to terms with a lower value of living when entering college whether that
be by way of lesser meals or entertainment perhaps both. The tangible amount of difference in income
and expenses will have to be resolved by lesser means of living in the since that entertainment and art
may be luxury and expectation as well in the food sector food may have to be the cheapest and not the
most pleasing in order to even costs and prevent any debt from arising.

Conclusion
This research has really shifted my perspective and made me thankful that my parents are allowing me
to live out of home for the primary college years as these expenses are really high. This has also put
into perspective how much time and effort is required to achieve the means of living in luxury my
parents currently live in. The steeping stones of life may seem calculated and tame however some are
bigger than others and in the road of life we must be wise to build a proper steps and not fall backwards
in debt due to our preconceived higher expectations.

Romero 8
Works Cited
Chandler Gilbert Community College Apartments For Rent. CGCC Off Campus Housing.Chandler
Gilbert Community College Apartments For Rent. CGCC Off Campus Housing, 2016,
http://www.myapartmentmap.com/list/colleges/az/chandler_gilbert_community_college/.

Financial Aid.Cost of Attendance, Maricopa Education, 2014

http://www.cgc.maricopa.edu/students/financialaid/pages/costattendance.aspx.

Home Budget: Cost-of-Living Reality Check.Quicken, Quicken Inc, 12 Aug. 2016,

https://www.quicken.com/home-budget-cost-living-reality-check.

Josephson, Amelia. The Cost of Living in Arizona.SmartAsset.com, smart asset Inc, 9 Aug. 2016,
https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-cost-of-living-in-arizona.