I'm a college student and I keep axolotls. If your dorm allows you to keep an aquarium, it's not out of the question. Well cared for Axolotls will be just as happy in a large plastic tub as in an aquarium (if not happier). You can probably get a good sized tub for $20, and an appropriate in tank filter for $15, a couple of stones for about $3, and a PVC pipe for the axies to hide in for about $5 (total = $43s). Things that could potentially drive the price up would be a a glass tank or live plants (pet stores tend to rip you off on plants). The most expensive individual items will probably be the axolotls themselves, but there will be people here willing to give them away for free. I'm not telling you that you have to get axolotls now, and I have no idea how much space or free time you have, but I'm saying it's possible to do it in a way that's not outrageously expensive.
