Parra 1

Michaela Parra
Mrs Bryner
English 12-5
4 September 2016
College Reality Check
Introduction
The college i am attending after high school will be Central Arizona College. In eighth
grade, i filled out an application called Promise for the future that allows me to attend any
community college in Pinal County completely free tuition (i was attending a school in Pinal
county, which is why the school made the boundary here), as long as i make a 2.75 unweighted
grade average throughout high school. This contract is intended for more people to start going to
college at a younger age rather than later. This school also allows me to transfer my credits to
universities, which is why i decided to get my prerequisites done here.
Housing Information
The student housing at CAC allows for students such as myself to be closer to their
teachers and education by actually living at school. The school directors also make it very
affordable for students to be able to live on campus.
On Campus Housing
There are six different options for student housing, the first room being the least
experience in college and the sixth being the most experience in college. The first one being

The First Year Experience Tower (FYE), this room allows new students to become more
familiarized with the college
Parra 2
lifestyle. It holds up to two Students that are of the same sex; it is a conjoined room because it
has a jack and jill bathroom. The room is furnished with a desk, chair, closet space, dresser, and
a bed with an extra long twin mattress for each student. This room/board is $3,450 per semester.
The meal plan for every student housing is a cafeteria open seven days a week. Students
purchase the meal plan as part of the room and board fee. The cafeteria is all you can eat that
has to- order options such as soup, deli station, and exhibition stations. Prior to applying
requirements are: a student id number called 880- number, students need to understand to check
their CAC student email regularly, they need to have their MMR ready to fill out the application,
have a photo Id ready to copy which is either a driver's licence or a government ID, lastly they
have to pay a $150 deposit fee. After completing these requirements, students need to be
registered in at least twelve credits and complete the online application. More information here.

Apartment housing
This apartment complex is call Courtyard Apartments in Casa Grande, 13 minutes
away from CAC. It is a two bedroom Apartment with one bathroom that includes: Air
Conditioning, Cable ready, Dishwasher, Microwave, Oversized closets, Some paid utilities,
Garbage Disposal, Refrigerator, and is furnished. Community features are: a basketball court,

covered parking, extra storage, emergency maintenance, fitness center, high speed internet
access, hot tub, laundry facility, playground, public transportation, swimming pool, on site
maintenance, and is pet friendly. It is 676 square feet, at $625 a
Parra 3
month. The website says to call for the deposit fee and any more questions or information not
listed. More information here.

Pool view(courtyard apartments) Floor plan (Sandalwood)

Data
I have a little while before i could start making the choice as to where i want to live. So
far im leaning toward an apartment because then i don't have to worry too much about on
campus restrictions.

Housing
On Campus Apartmen
expenses/
t
month/person
Rent

$1,725

$313.50

Electricity

$3,750

$2,025

Trash

$25

$35

Meals

$200

$300

Total

$5,700

$2,673

Housing Reflection
I will most likely be living in an Apartment. Have an apartment is a better way in
managing my money along with learning how to be in the real world. I could decide what i
want to eat everyday and
Parra 4
how much i will spend. The apartment also includes more things such as a pool and a gym in
which i could go in my own time. Also, having an apartment allows me to be the more dominate
one in the house so i could talk to my roommate about what my main goal will be and about how
my schedule will be. Another pro is i don't have to limit my roommate to just being another
college student attending CAC, it could be a family member, a friend, or even someone attending
another college. I would have my own space and the bathroom could have only one person in it
at one time, i dont like the idea of a jack and jill bathroom. Apartments have more of a home
feel to it, not to mention it has a lot more things around, such as stores, entertainment such as the
movie theater.
Financial Plan

Since i dont have to pay for tuition, i could just focus on my books and paying for my
Apartment. This section doesnt really apply to me other than getting ready for college such as
school supplies and clothes.
Estimated Expenses
As i said before, I would most likely be living in an Apartment. Rent for my half would
be $313.50 if i had one other person to split it with. Things like food and clothes could be bought
separately but anything my roommate and i share would be paid in two equal parts. I would be
paying $2,673 with just food, electricity, rent, and trash. My other roommate would pay the same
thing as myself.
Estimated Income
My source of income would probably be a minimum wage job that has flexible hours. I
could also apply for jobs at my school shuh as being a lunch lady or a tutor. If i have trouble
paying rent for a
Parra 5
month, i could ask my family or my parents. I could also start saving money now to be prepared
for later. I could also do volunteer work at clinics, they sometimes pay about $6 an hour.

Data
As i said Before, i have 2 free years of college so i dont have to pay for that part. My
parents said that they would help me out with anything i need them to. Also, like i said, i will just
have to pay for the things listed below. After i calculated everything, i realized i either need to

get rid of something or get another job. I calculated my job at $9.00 per month and that is only
one job.
Estimated budget for 2017-2018:
Income
Job

$252

Parents

$200

Gifts

$100

Total

$552

Expenses
Tuition/Fees

$50

Books/Supplies

$400

Apartment

$313.50

Computer Expenses

$25

Car/Transportation

$100

Cell Phone

$100

Entertainment/Eating

$25

out
Personal expenses

$100

Total

$1,113.50

Financial Plan Reflection

I knew that planning how to managing my money and paying bills was going to be
difficult so i kind of get that part, but i dont understand why i have such a huge gap between my
income and expenses. I either calculated this wrong or i need to get 2 jobs or 1 with a better
income. The difference of it all will go to my mom and dad.
Conclusion
This assignment has showed me the reality of living on my own. I've always wanted to
figure this out but i never had a guideline to show me how to go about figuring something like
this out. I finally did it and i feel a little more confident about how to start this off. Saving money
is alway going to be the key. Im thankful that i have my mom and dad saving money up so i have
a head start on life, i am also saving up money. Another helpful thing i will have is a brand new
car. My mother is going to buy me a small car soon and that will help me save a lot of money.
Now that i know how to manage my money, i could start looking for Apartments.

Works Cited

http://www.centralaz.edu/home/student_resources/residence_life.htm
http://www.apartmentguide.com/apartments/Arizona/Casa-Grande/Courtyard-Apartments/90079
/