The Cost of College: Your Ability and Willingness to Pay for It
It’s the time of year when students and families are receiving offers of admission and comparing Financial Aid Award Letters. This is the last step in the college application process before you make a deposit for the college you plan to attend.
But, financially speaking, where do you start?
Before you even begin searching for colleges, take stock of your financial situation and qualify yourself for a dollar amount you are willing and able to spend for college, same as you would for a home purchase, so that there are no surprises and folks are not disappointed.
Please consult these resources as you determine what that number will be for you, and begin to build your college list.
Expected Family Contribution resources
Based on your answers to a few questions, the Federal Student Aid Estimator calculates your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to give you an idea of your eligibility for federal student aid. You’ll also learn about next steps in the financial aid process.
Estimate Your Federal Student Aid
https://finaid.org/calculators/finaidestimate/
Big Future's EFC calculator
Expected Family Contribution – BigFuture | College Board
Net Price Calculator required to be on every college website to assist you in estimating what that college will potentially cost for you.
Google: Any College name + Net Price Calculator
MyinTuition, a revolutionary online tool, ensures that students and their families have quick and easy access to the information they need to make decisions about college affordability. MyinTuition shows the projected cost of college once financial aid is factored in, helping students understand and plan for what college will actually cost.
To be used in conjunction with the Net Price Calculator, not instead of.
MyinTuition - Quick College Cost Estimator for Students and Parents
Filing the FAFSA, 2022-2023 edition.
This comprehensive guide includes valuable advice about the FAFSA.
FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid
FAFSA Federal Student Aid: Home
What is my Expected Family Contribution (EFC)? | Federal Student Aid
The CSS Profile Apply for College Financial Aid – CSS Profile
US Department of Education The College Financing Plan
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/guid/aid-offer/index.html