Understanding College Costs

Going to college can be expensive. But understanding the costs associated with it can help as you begin the financial aid process. Hopefully, knowing what to expect can help you plan before tuition and fees are due for your first semester of college. All institutions will list their costs on their website. Collectively, these expenses are the Cost of Attendance (COA). A school’s COA usually includes tuition and fees, cost of housing and food (or living expenses), books, supplies, and transportation expenses.

Use the calculators below to get more information about how much you'll need to save, how much your family can be expected to contribute and your eligibility for federal financial aid. You can get an estimate of exactly how much each college in Georgia will cost with the Net Price Calculator.

Financial Aid Calculator	What Does It Calculate?
College Savings Planning Calculator from Path2College529.com	Calculate how much money you will need to save for a loved one’s college education in a 529 college savings plan.
College Cost Calculator from The College Board	Use this calculator to see how much money you'll need for college, whether you're on track to save enough, and what you need to do to reach your goal.
EFC Calculator from Big Future	The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculator helps estimate how much money a student or family can contribute and provides insight into a student's financial aid eligibility.
Federal Student Aid Estimator	This can help you understand your options to pay for college or career school by providing an early estimate of your EFC and eligibility for federal student aid.
Repayment Estimator from the Department of Education	Look at the different options for loan repayment and how a new loan will affect your repayment plans.

 

 

Learn more about paying for college and ways to avoid student debt at College Money Matters.