ARTICLES ON THE COST OF COLLEGE, PAYING FOR COLLEGE, AND MAKING YOUR DEGREE MORE AFFORDABLE
Note: If links on this page are broken, please let me know via my contact page. I’ll check them and make sure they are removed or changed if needed. Sometimes a different browser or machine (phone vs. computer, for example) will lead to different results. If links really don’t work, try searching for articles you want to read using the reference info here. Links often change but titles and publishers shouldn’t.
If you need to think about going to college on campuses—or in states—where efforts are being
made to reduce the cost of college, read these items carefully. Whatever school you attend, you
should always use the net price calculators almost all schools offer on their websites, to
estimate how much your degree will cost you but in some cases, efforts are being made to
either reduce the cost to you of attending or at least keep its increases as low as possible. If you
know of relevant materials of any kind you think should be included here, please contact me
with the resource and a link to it so I can have a look. I have definitely included pieces
suggested to me in the past, particularly on this topic which is so important to so many today.
Almost all of the articles I have on this sub-page of my college search materials hierarchy are
free to access. None are by me. Some will require a paid subscription. I have marked the ones
requiring a subscription with “Possible Paywall”. Your school, or local public, library may have
free access if you don’t through your parents, neighbors or mentors.
Articles on the Cost of College, Paying for College, and Making Your Degree More Affordable
Note: As is true in other segments of this list of pieces, none of these articles are by me. You should not take them as the only possible paths to managing your college costs and maximizing the value of your degree. Speak with your financial aid office, your high-school counselor, and/or experts in college finance for advice that is tailored to your particular needs.
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“Most Colleges Cost Less Than Their Tuition; Upperclass Students Face High Increases,” Forbes: May 20, 2024. Note: This is a must read for anyone who will need financial aid to complete college.
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“Iowa universities set steepest residence hall rate hikes in over a decade,” The Gazette: May 19, 2024. Note: Tuition isn’t the only part of college costs that can go up, and dorm rates are rising sharply on many campuses.
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“How to Graduate College With As Little Student Loan Debt As Possible,” Teen Vogue: May 15, 2024. Note: Much useful advice here.
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“A Harvard education costs over $82,000 a year—here’s how much students actually pay,” CNBC: May 12, 2024.Note: A lot of interesting and useful data here.
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“Connecticut takes aim at college affordability and access crisis,” CNBC: May 11, 2024. Note: Reviews CT’s Last dollar, automatic admission, and employer student loan repayment tax credit programs.
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“Report: Degrees from California State Colleges Quickly Pay for Themselves,” The Times of San Diego: May 11, 2024. Note: This report focuses on California residents but is still very useful information to consider for anyone thinking on in-state schools.
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“You just heard your college-bound child is getting less aid than you hoped. Now what?” CNN: May 10, 2024. Note: Some useful advice here.
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[possible paywall] [opinion]“Use these 6 points to say no to a college you and your kid can’t afford,” The Washington Post: May 1, 2024. Note: Wise advice here particularly during a period when the FAFSA isn’t providing data as quickly as normal.
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**“What Does A Financial Aid Advisor Do?” Bankrate: Apr 30, 2024. Note: These people can be very helpful. I should say this is not a service I provide.
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“Why the FAFSA is so hard in 2024, and where to get help in Kansas City,” The Kansas city Beacon: Apr 19, 2024. Note: Your city should have resources if you need help with the FAFSA. School counselors or searching the ‘net can help find them.
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“5 Ways To Pay For The College Your Child Wants To Go To,” Forbes: Apr 18, 2024. Note: Very useful advice here for people on all socioeconomic levels.
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“Confused about the cost of going to college? Join the club.,” CBS News: Apr 17, 2024.Note: In spite of some efforts on price transparency lack of clarity is still a problem. Net price calculators can help.
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“Price hikes hit Georgia public universities and colleges,” WJCL: Apr 17, 2024. Note: Check your state campuses to see where prices (and net prices) are going. Choices on setting costs are varying.
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“Here's how to make key college decisions amid FAFSA delays,” CNBC: Apr 8, 2024.
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“Top colleges expand financial aid awards to eliminate student loans,” CNBC: Apr 1, 2024.Note: Useful information here though the list of schools making this change is not screen reader accessible.
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“Parents, students concerned by Yale’s cost as term bill surpasses $90,000 - Yale Daily News: Apr 1, 2024. Note: Net price is really the key thing in looking at the perceived cost of college.
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“5 Steps To Negotiate More Financial Aid From Colleges,” Forbes: Mar 29, 2024. Note: the author has a lot of really useful advice here. All of these may be helpful to you as you negotiate with campuses.
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“How to Pay for College,” Money: Mar 27, 2024. Note: A long and potentially very helpful article—and not just for students who have just been accepted.
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“How to choose the best college: One that you can actually afford ,” VTDigger: Mar 27, 2024.Note: Lots of useful advice here. Well worth reading and carefully considering during your decision period and thinking on long before.
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“California extends financial aid deadline for students,” KSBW: Mar 27, 2024.
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“How to Get a Student Loan,” Money: Mar 25, 2024. Note: A well organized roadmap. As they say, public loans are generally best but private ones can be very helpful.
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“Colleges Give Families More Time To Accept Financial Aid Offers,” Forbes: Mar 23, 2024.
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“How To Calculate Student Loan Interest" | Bankrate: Mar 15, 2024. Note: This is very useful information. Well worth reading and engaging with if you have or plan on student loans.
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“Given FAFSA Delays, Why Have So Few Colleges Moved Admission Deadlines?” Forbes: Mar 14, 2024.
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“State commission says Illinois underfunds public universities by $1.4 billion,” WGLT Mar 7, 2024. Note: Illinois isn’t the first and won’t be the last to underfund its campuses. Check your state to see the levels of funding there.
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“A job more parents are taking to get a discount on their kids' college,” CNBC: Mar 6, 2024. Note: Tuition benefits for employees’ children are as diverse as campuses are but can be very significant as discussed here.
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“States With Free College Tuition,” Bankrate: Mar 4, 2024. Note: read this thoroughly to learn about what states offer this and some of the conditions many set on it.
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“4 tips for navigating the FAFSA delays,” The Week: Mar 1, 2024. Note: Lots of good advice here. Particularly their encouragement to keep pushing your FAFSA application forward.
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“Tuition hikes continue to outpace inflation, admin say financial aid rising concurrently,” Yale Daily News: Mar 1, 2024. Note: Yale isn’t first to raise expected costs. It won’t be last. Ask reps or research to see how costs may move on your potential campuses. Remember to use a net price calculator to get a sense for your likely actual expenses.
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“Here are some strategies to maximize your financial aid for college,” CNBC: Feb 22, 2024.Note: Useful advice here and some nice perspective on current issues around the FAFSA as well.
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“FAFSA problems delays financial aid information for millions of students,” POLITICO: Feb 20, 2024. Note: Despite the grammatical error in the title, this piece nicely details the issues surrounding the new FAFSA which you should still work to fill out.