---
title: Smart Advice for College Freshmen
description: People on the streets of New York City share their wisdom for people headed off to college.
authors:
  - name: George Mannes
    url: https://money.com/author/george-mannes/
    at_money_since: 2009
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  - name: Turner Cowles
    url: https://money.com/author/turner-cowles/
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    articles: 24
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published: '2015-08-03T16:00:23.000Z'
modified: '2024-04-16T06:23:08.000Z'
section: Education
tags:
  - advice
  - College
  - college advice
  - college cost
  - colleges
  - freshman
  - freshmen
  - incoming freshman
  - Mannes on the Street
  - Student Loans
  - Students
  - video
word_count: 89
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type: Article
source: structured-blocks
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> **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/).

![Advice for College Freshman.00_01_02_16.Still003](https://img.money.com/2015/07/advice-for-college-freshman-00_01_02_16-still003.png)

We asked people in Times Square, "What's your best advice for a freshman going off to college?" The people we asked gave a mixed bag of answers. Going of to college is both scary and liberating, but there are some things you should know. One thing we heard over and over again was that college is incredibly expensive, and a lot of people's advice flowed from there. With the College Board estimating the average college cost for a public school in America at $12,830 per year, it's no surprise.

![](https://content.money.com/wp-content/themes/money2018/img/newsletter/money-homepage-newsletter-120.png)

NEWSLETTER: COLLEGE\_PLANNERSign up for **COLLEGE\_PLANNER** and more [View Sample](https://money.com/subscribe/)

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