• Families need to talk about finances and affordability long before the admissions decisions and financial aid offers arrive in the spring of senior year.

• Despite the high "sticker-price" of college, students should know that institutional aid can significantly reduce cost.

• Colleges have different price points. Price is mainly driven by type of program (2 year or 4 year), type of institution (public or private), and location.

• There are many ways to finance college. Most families cover the cost of college with a combination of institutional aid, family savings, work study, and loan(s).