[RoboMom]

By Oct. 29, US colleges must post “Net price calculators” on their website – estimating the price minus the average amount in grants or scholarships which don’t need to be repaid for full-time first year students. This price is what you will be expected to pay through savings, loans and income. These calculators will provide a ballpark figure. No guarantees. But they will be a very useful tool for all students. Some of these calculators are very detailed, but many include just a few questions. Some may be buried on the college website.

Net cost and net price are different and net cost can be much lower. Be sure to compare the net prices. Many of these calculators will let you know about grants specific to your family income, place of residence, GPA, etc.