College Sticker Shock
College tuition is only part of the cost of college. Other expenses can add up to a significant portion of your college costs. Financial aid can reduce your costs, so a more expensive college can end up costing less than a less expensive college.
How Much Does College Cost?
- What's the Price Tag for a College Education?
- How Colleges Figure "Cost of Attendance"
- Net Price: The Real Story
How to Find Financially Friendly Colleges
All About Financial Aid
Many families underestimate their eligibility for financial aid. Get the facts on college financial aid, including financial aid eligibility, how to apply for financial aid, how to get the most financial aid, and how to analyze financial aid awards.
Get Started with Financial Aid
- What is Financial Aid?
- Scholarships and Merit Aid Offered by Colleges
- Debunking Myths About Financial Aid
- How Work-Study Works
- How Grants Help You Pay for College
- What You Should Know About Federal Student Loans
- Scholarship Basics
- Federal Direct Loans: The Largest Student Loan Program
How to Qualify for Financial Aid
- How Colleges Calculate Your Financial Aid
- How Student and Parent Assets Affect Your Financial Aid
- Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
- How Student and Parent Income Affects Your Financial Aid
- What You Need to Know About Financial Need
- Financial Aid for Independent Students
How to Get Financial Aid
- How to Apply for Financial Aid
- Common FAFSA Mistakes
- 10 FAFSA Facts Every College-Bound Student Should Know
- Tips for Your Financial Aid Forms
- CSS Profile and Other Aid Applications
- Key Financial Aid Milestones
Getting the Best Financial Aid Awards
Paying for College
The best approach to pay for college is a long-term educational savings plan. Most families, however, find it difficult to pay for college with existing savings. Learn about short- and long-term strategies to pay for college and how financial aid fits in.
Ways to Pay for College
- Common Ways to Pay for College
- Investigating Private College Loans
- Don't Fall for These Six Myths About Paying for College
- Tax Breaks for College
- Types of College Loans to Consider
- How to Reduce College Costs
- PLUS Loans for Parents
- What Transfer Students Need to Know About Paying for College
- Paying for College in Installments
The Best Laid College Financing Plans
Scholarship Smarts
It's easy to assume that scholarships go to high-flying academic achievers or exceptionally needy students. Truth is, there are plenty of ways to qualify for scholarships. Learn how to conduct a productive scholarship search, find scholarships you are eligible for, create winning scholarship applications, and watch out for scholarship scams.
Scholarship Essentials
- Scholarship Basics
- Scholarships Offered by Colleges
- Where the Bucks Are: "Private" Scholarships
- Don't Believe These Popular Scholarship Myths
Finding and Getting Scholarships
- How to Find Scholarships You Qualify For
- Scholarship Application Tips
- It's Not Just About Your GPA...
- Watch Out for Scholarship Scams
Read the Fine Print
- Renewable Scholarships Are Best
- Scholarships with Strings Attached
- Using Scholarship Money: What's Allowed?
