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" You want to be able to live the life you want\u2014and for most of you, college is a major step in getting there. So Seventeen partnered with Citibank to survey over 1,000 high school seniors and college students across the U.S. about saving, spending, and managing the crazy cost of college\u2026 plus all the other fun stuff you want to be able to afford (like cute clothes for back-to-school, and extra cash to go to the movies with your BFFs). What&amp;#039;d we find? Check it out here! Tuition cost plays a major role in picking a school. 77% say that money played a key role on choosing a college or university, and 1/3 say that money was the single most important factor. Maybe that&amp;#039;s why so many college students are working. Nearly 4 out of 5 students also have a part-time job, working 19 hours a week on average. Mom and Dad are still helping\u2014but not as much. When asked who paid for their tuition, 22% of college students said their parents were writing the check, but almost as many students (18%) are paying for it themselves. All hail the family plan! One thing parents are still paying for in a big way: cell phone bills! A whopping 60% of students said their parents take care of their monthly bill for them; but less than 30% of students say their parents are paying for their books or laptop. Discounts are major. In fact, 95% of college students say they use student discounts to cut costs. Other ways to save? Buying used books (94%), grocery shopping instead of eating out (88%), and using online coupons to buy stuff (81%). And you&amp;#039;ll need &amp;#039;em your freshman year! College freshman spend the most on back-to-school items, paying $678 on average. (That cute dorm d\u00E9cor won&amp;#039;t buy itself!) College students in general spend an average of $513 on BTS, but here&amp;#039;s a surprise\u2014guys actually spend $246 more than girls! Maybe it&amp;#039;s all those DIY projects you&amp;#039;ve been trying out\u2026 Even with the high cost, college students agree that the $$$ is worth it. 94% think that college will end up being a good investment; 83% say that thanks to their college education, they&amp;#039;ll be well-prepared to succeed in the workforce after graduation. For more information on how to save money before you head back to school, check out Citi&amp;#039;s Women &amp;amp;amp; Co. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/life/school/advice/a21365/paying-for-college/>