Many colleges require students to have a meal plan, especially if they live on campus. Meal plans vary among colleges, but most will give students a certain number of dining hall meals per week. Students may also be able to add flex dollars to use at the campus food court or other locations. The larger the school is, the greater flexibility students may have.
Students who choose their meal plan carefully may be able to cut college costs by selecting the plan that is best for them, according to KHEAA.
Most often, the meal plan will come out of students’ financial aid or their parents’ money if they’re footing the bill. Funds will be loaded on a card students swipe at on-campus cafeterias and restaurants.
Students can waste a lot of money eating off-campus and even rack up credit card debt by charging food. Most meals on campus are already paid for through the meal plan, so students should eat on campus as much as possible.
KHEAA is a public, non-profit agency established in 1966 to improve students’ access to college. It provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents. KHEAA also helps colleges manage their student loan default rates and verify information submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To learn more about those services, visit www.kheaa.com.
In addition, KHEAA disburses private Advantage Education Loans on behalf of its sister agency, KHESLC. For more information about Advantage Education Loans, visit www.advantageeducationloan.com.
-Submitted by Tim Ballard
