While public high school education is free conventionally, it comes with many costs. From standardized testing to club fees to instruments, certain areas of the high school experience are locked behind money. 

Having a “fulfilling” high school career includes more than just receiving the diploma at graduation — students each have their own goals and passions they want to chase; whether it be orchestra, research, art or sports, each facet of high school has costs associated with them.

“If I couldn’t pay, I wouldn’t be able to participate in as many activities,” Neha Kodali (9) said. “[I would do] less.” 

These costs can build up quickly as a student goes through high school. For academically inclined students, Advanced Placement fees can especially become quite expensive if they take many AP classes. 

“[One of my friends] took like 8 APs [this year],” Shivani Menon (11) said. “He’s done it [like] every single year too … he’s spent [like] $2000 on AP exams alone.” 

Clubs like the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) that go on annual field trips also have high costs associated with them. These club-related costs can rack up quite quickly, especially in clubs organized around competitions or trips. 

“[The costs] honestly depend on the club,” Menon said. “In HOSA, you have to pay a fee to be in the club, you have to pay a fee to compete in the club and you also have to pay for your trip too.” 

At its core, high school is about experimentation. Students are not expected to only commit to one subject or hobby; they can play around with classes and clubs to see what fits them.  Unfortunately, this experimentation is limited because of the cost of specific opportunities. 

“High school is supposed to be about experimenting, and getting to know what you like,” Vivian Fan (11) said. “You can’t really afford to experiment as much if you don’t have as much money.” 

These parts of high school are optional for students. Each student’s aspirations for their high school career are different and thus have different standards for it to be rewarding and fulfilling. 

“I think [fulfillment] really depends on what you want,” Fan said. “If you want to get a good scholarship into college, then you probably should be taking [like] AP classes — but if you plan on going to a technical school or community college, then I think it’s not as necessary to put yourself through that stress.”

However, high school is ultimately not about money. Life is not all about money. While some areas of high school may be limited because of their relatively high costs, high school can still be fulfilling and enjoyable to all students — not just a particular class.