What Is Cost and Is It Always a Bad Thing? Furthering the Discussion Concerning College-Aged Students' Perceived Costs for Their Academic Studies

In this article, we present 2 studies with the primary objectives of (a) identifying college-aged students' perceived costs for their academic studies and (b) exploring college students' descriptions of "beneficial" aspects of costs. In Study 1, 10 cost concepts were identified from 2 focus groups, including stress, lost opportunities, effort, financial, and lost interest, to name a few. In Study 2, 98 undergraduates were surveyed on their perceptions about possible "beneficial" aspects of cost. Some of the beneficial aspects of costs that were reported included gained rewards and the development of time management skills. Implications of our findings are further discussed, along with avenues for future research.