According to a study conducted by the Election Advisory Board of college-bound students and their families, one of the most frustrating parts of applying to college is not having a way to estimate how much financial aid they might get.
This makes it hard to decide where to apply, because there’s no good way to tell how affordable a school might be until after financial aid packages are sent out in the Spring. And that leaves very little time to make a well-thought-out decision of which school might be the best choice in terms of affordability and quality education.
Of course, nothing is final until you get your financial aid package. But here are some ways to get closer to what your financial aid number might be:
Use the calculator posted on college websites
Colleges are supposed to have a “college cost estimator” or “net price calculator” on their websites. You can use these tools to enter your family financial data and get an estimate (but not a guarantee) of what that college might offer you in financial aid.
Try the FAFSA student aid estimator
The FAFSA student aid estimator will give you an estimate of how much you might receive in financial aid from the federal government. Note: This is not the FAFSA application. It is just an estimation tool available on the FAFSA site.
Visit tuitionfit.org
With the free site tuitionfit.org, you can enter the amount you’re willing to pay for college and receive a list of colleges that meet that price.
Check out the higher education section on your state’s website
To find out how much potential funding you may receive from your state, go here
RELATED TOPICS:
Your financial aid timeline
A brief guide to understanding financial aid
Helpful sites for financial aid