High school seniors are stressing about how they are going to pay for college. On top of that, application fees are being thrown at them, creating more worry. The average cost for a private university is $26,273 a year, according to Collegeboard.com. The cost of the application fee can add as much as $100 to the price tag. Seniors have to figure out ways to scrape together money even before entering college, just so their applications can be processed.

Application fees vary depending on the school. Claflin University in South Carolina has an application fee of $20. Some schools, such as The Julliard School, charge $100.

The price has gotten so out of hand that some students are having to bargain shop when deciding which college to apply to.

“The college application fee affected my interest in attending specific colleges,” said Timothy Holmes, a freshman at the City College of New York where the application fee is $65.

Astrid Barreras, a senior from University Heights Secondary School, stated, “College is a want, not a need, because of the restrictions like application fees.”

Rosa Nelly de la Cruz, a parent of a senior at the same school, called the fees “unfair.”

“It’s causing the youth to think twice about college since not all parents have the money to pay for them,” she said. “How can society expect the youth to be proactive to succeed when they already [faced with] an obstacle such as the application fee?”

As a single parent, Cruz says application fees are a burden on her financial status. “I am cutting bills and groceries in order to have the money for the application fees.”

So, what exactly are these fees for?

“Application fees are processing fees,” said University Heights Secondary School college advisor, Lillian Martinez. “They help pay for the admission offices employees and their services.”

For some students, waivers are available. “Every year kids come to me with concerns about application fees. Sometimes I call up the private schools to ask can they waive the fee,” Martinez said.

Even though waivers exist, there are restrictions on who qualifies. In most cases, families must exhibit extreme financial issues to be eligible. The State University of New York Web site says that “Financial eligibility is primarily determined by the family income.” For example, a household of four must have an annual income of $39, 950 or less to meet the requirements of a fee waiver.

Some seniors argue that the strict requirements are unjust.

“There were fee waivers in my school, but they were extremely limited and only given to people whose financial statements showed a great need,” said Timothy. “But that sucked for people like me who has a mother who may look like she makes a lot on paper, but we hardly ever see the money. So unfortunately fee waivers weren’t accessible to me.”

Regardless of whether students approve, application fees are here to stay. “Most schools will not consider looking at an application until the fee is received,” said Allison Palmer, the director of New Settlement Apartments College Access Center. “Without the fee payment, the application is considered incomplete.”

Some students feel that the application fee should be refunded once a student is accepted. As Rashaun Fraser, a 17-year-old from Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers in Manhattan, puts it, “Why suck us dry to apply?”