Tool Helps Students Sort Through College-Aid Muddle Traditional
planning for college expenses usually exists of estimating
tuition and how much to save each year to pay for four years.
But once college gets closer, the numbers all change and the
options all have different prices, meaning exploring financial
aid usually comes into the picture. And that's where college
gets complicated. "Often financial aid is presented in less than
a clear way," said Carol Stack, co-author of "The Financial Aid
Handbook." "It's not that complicated." Stack and co-author Ruth
Vedvik, both former college admissions directors, try to
simplify the process. They believe an informed student and
parent can make college more affordable. For example, the
published tuition by each college doesn't mean that's the price
the student may pay. Many offer "discounts" to attract students.
"Most scholarships are awarded by institutions so we are showing
students how by developing a tool on how to find out what
schools will give them the most mo