Some offer certificates of completion or achievement for a small fee, and some companies are packaging several related courses in business or technology to create a sort of mini-degree with affordable tuition.
The latter are fixed-rate loans with a current interest rate of 8.5%, and are available to cover up to the entire cost of college tuition, minus any other financial aid the student receives.
Average net tuition (published price minus grants and tax benefits) at private colleges and universities is $13,200 more than 40% below the average published tuition.
Now available in Spanish and English, College Abacus allows college-bound students and their families to search and compare net prices — tuition and fees minus grant aid — across more than 2500 schools and counting.
The recommended amount equals direct costs (tuition and fees) minus any grants or scholarships the student is receiving.
They will also tell the average amount of loans undergraduates carry at graduation, and average net tuition, which is full price minus financial aid and scholarships.
The report, "Measuring Up 2008," is one of the few to compare net college costs — that is, a year's tuition, fees, room and board, minus financial aid — against median family income.
You'll find a widget that can generate a list of the most costly colleges in the country according to either "highest tuition" or "highest net prices," meaning the total cost of attendance minus the average amount of government or institutional aid.
