Parents are writing those checks and sending kids off to college. Tuition costs are up, but other college expenses also are going up.

The price of housing and food is the biggest cost students who attend two- and four-year public universities in their home states, according to a College Board survey. Even with the lower interest rates on student loans that President Barack Obama signed into law, students continue to get bills that are growing on just about every line.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Bossier Parish Community College charges about $3200 a year and that's right in line with public two-year schools across the country. Those schools charged in-state students an average $3,131 last year, up almost 6 percent from the previous year. While the tuition hike was larger than at other types of schools, students at community colleges saw the smallest increase in room and board costs — a 1 percent increase to $7,419. Total charges for students to attend an in-state public two-year school: $10,550.

Tuition and fees at community colleges are up 24 percent beyond overall inflation over the past five years, according to the College Board.

PUBLIC FOUR-YEAR SCHOOLS

Tuition at LSU in Baton Rouge is about $6,000 a year. The average across the nation averages $8,655, a 5 percent jump from the previous year. But the students paid more than that — $9,205 — for housing and food. These schools, like other four-year schools, posted a 4 percent jump in housing costs. Add in books and supplies, transportation and other costs and the total reaches $17,860 to attend an in-state public school, such as a student from Tallahassee attending Florida State University. When grants and scholarships are included, the average student pays $12,110 at such schools.

For students who choose to attend state schools outside their home state, the costs increase to $30,911. They pay the same $9,205 price tag for room and board, but the tuition rates are more expensive. The typical student who crossed state lines to attend a public college in 2012 paid $21,706 in tuition and fees after grants and scholarships — a 4 percent jump from the previous year.

Over the past five years, the tuition sticker price at public four-year colleges is up 27 percent beyond overall inflation.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

At Centenary, tuition is just over $30,000 dollars a year. If you compare that with other private colleges, it's right there on average. Nationwide, tuition and fees were $29,056 last year — another 4 percent jump — while room and board ran to $10,462. After grants and scholarships, the average student paid $23,840 to attend schools such as Yale or Stanford.  The tuition at private schools was up 13 percent beyond overall inflation over the past five years adjusted for inflation.

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