Nearly all American students in colleges and universities pay for their education. There are many expenses. First of all, there is tuition (学费). At some schools, the tuition is very high, ten thousand dollars a year or more. At other schools, it may only be a few hundred dollars a year. At some community (社区) colleges, tuition is free. There are other expenses as well. Many students leave their homes to go to schools in other cities. They may live in dormitories or apartments (flats), and they must pay for it. Finally, students must buy textbooks for their courses. Some families start saving money for their children's education when the children are small. Many students work to save money for tuition. They can also get loans (贷款) from the government. They pay the money back to the government when they finish their education.
