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college cost per year
affordability & college cost

College Costs: The 4 Parts of College Costs

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022
How much does college cost? This seems like it should be a reasonably simple question with a straight forward answer. However, that is not nearly the case. In fact, there are at least 4 answers to this question about college costs. Understanding them is important in being a good consumer. 1. Tuition and Fees The …
A small selection of potential college major -- from engineering to literature
college majors & minors

How Do I Choose a College Major?

By Olivia PittmanLast updated on December 22, 2022
Choosing a college major can be a huge part of your overall college plan. Knowing what you want to study can narrow down the college search. Choosing a college major can be a huge part of your overall college plan, and knowing what you want to study can narrow down the college search. But with …
college comparisons

Is Lower Student Debt More Important than a Big Name School for Thriving After College?

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal (no subscription required) proclaims “Elite Colleges Don’t Buy Happiness for Graduates.”  The thesis of the article is that empirical data shows that a college’s reputation does not guarantee success in the workplace. Gallup surveyed more than 30,000 college graduates drawn from colleges and universities across the selectivity …
college comparisons

Strategies for Determining Most Affordable Schools: The Ivy League

By William StaibLast updated on December 22, 2022
There are potentially many factors that go into building a portfolio of schools when considering your college application options. Academic fit, cost, geography, major field of study, extracurricular offerings and athletics are some of the top considerations.  MyCollegePrice offers an easy way to combine some of these quickly and easily as you try to winnow …
college comparisons

Creating More Accurate College Net Price Estimates

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
If you’re a prospective college student, you may be pulling your hair out when going through the shopping process. Not just because of all of the hoops you’re made to jump through and paperwork you need to fill out — but also because of how misleading college cost estimates can be. Many estimates can be …
affordability & college cost

The Price of State Colleges vs. Private Colleges

By William StaibLast updated on December 22, 2022
One of the biggest myths for high school students and their families is that state schools are always cheaper — generally a lot cheaper — than comparable smaller, private colleges. Is it true? Not really. In fact, that’s one of the main reasons we created MyCollegePrice in the first place. In many cases, attending a …
questions & answers

Is Stanford the Most Affordable College in California?

By William StaibLast updated on March 8, 2024
If you’re looking for affordable colleges, Stanford University may be the last place you expect to find a deal. It’s a prestigious university, and — according to its website — will cost a whopping $58,856 per year to attend as an undergrad. But, as we’ve seen before, looking at the “sticker price” of Stanford doesn’t tell the whole story. …
top universities ranking
college search

Academic Fit and Lifestyle: How to Choose the Right College

By William StaibLast updated on March 8, 2024
In an earlier post we discussed how MyCollegePrice can help you discover the true cost of college given your family financial circumstances. Of course, there is more to choosing a college than deciding purely based on the hard financial numbers. Lifestyle, academic aspirations and academic fit play a significant part in the decision-making. More specifically, geography, college size, academic focus and specific college likes and dislikes should and do weigh heavily in a decision that is likely to have significant life impact over time. And of course, your high school academic performance and test scores will determine which schools are a best fit for you.
affordability & college cost

The True Price of Private Colleges: Why Sticker Price Doesn’t Matter

By Tyler HakesLast updated on December 22, 2022
One of the most important reasons we created MyCollegePrice was to help people discover new affordable options for college. Students might discover new schools that they hadn’t even heard of simply by looking at their list of college matches. But, students and their families may also be overlooking great potential colleges that they know about but think are …

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