The True Cost of College

How can anyone afford even a year of college? Have you seen the sticker price of some schools?

I tell my kids to ignore the sticker price...for now. Cost is important when choosing a college, but looking at the sticker price isn't going to tell you the true cost of going to that school. You really won't know what the final cost will be until sometime between March and April prior to the fall that you plan to enter school. That's when schools send out their financial aid award letters.

Some Do's and Don'ts when applying to college:

1. Don't discount applying to a private college just because the sticker price is several times higher than a state school. All of my college-aged kids have applied to private colleges and were offered generous financial aid packages.

Why Kids Should Pay Their Own Way Through College

Two of my kids have navigated their way through the undergraduate years and are paying back their student loans. Two more kids are currently in college and are using student loans to pay their own way. Two more kids are graduating from high school this May and will soon be faced with the decision of which college gets their money.

Notice I said "their" money. Not "my" money. It's their thing. They get the education, they accrue the debt. I'm the coach/cheerleader/guidance counselor on the sidelines warning them of financial minefields and giving them charted paths with which to navigate the seas of college funding and scholarships, with a whole lot of work study thrown in the mix.