<p>KDG, I agree that when one is looking at what colleges cost, the numbers should be set out with no loans or work study offsetting the amounts. That way you can see exactly what you are expected to pay minus the grants given by each school.</p>
<p>Once you have those final numbers, the job then becomes how those figures can be met. A student then has about $5500 of Staffords that are pretty much an automatic. Which schools then still have unmet costs? If a Perkins or other subsidized loans are also in the picture substitute the un subsidized part of the Stafford with those. Many times, it comes down to what school ends up costing the least out of pocket but will still have loans in the picture.</p>