<p>How are people supposed to pay for these outrageous college prices? Like most of the good colleges cost like so much. I live in-state in Virginia so I might go to UVA. That should really take the cost down. </p>
<p>But I want to go into medicine so should I go to UVA then later (after 4 years) transfer to a good medical school. Or just go to an out of state school and get my degree there. It may cost a lot though. Your help would be great.</p>
<p>Also for people who come from a middle class family how much does the college actually pay to you? Also how much money in scholarships would the average smart student get? Thanks</p>
<p>You might ask "how are people supposed to pay for housing? food? gas? "
Many good choices for college- certainly easier in our experience to find a good college, than a good K-12 system.
Instate choices like UVA are wonderful and high value for the money.
What does middle class mean?
Big difference between $50,000 and $ 200,000. That is often the expected range for middle income.
I suggest using one of the EFC calculators on the collegeconfidential/Princeton/finaid sites.
It will give you a ball park figure for both instituitional and federal methodology.
Our EFC for example is about $14,000. That amount is what we are expected to pay. Because my daughter attends a school that meets 100 % of need, the amount over $ 14,000 is met through workstudy, grants and loans.
However if you attend a school that does not agree to meet 100% of need,your package may look very different</p>
<p>Like a home, you should view college as an investment. You are investing in your future.</p>
<p>Since you are from Virginia, you are fortunate to have a top-flight in-state school as a more affordable option. Don’t forget to look for scholarships that can help make a significant dent in the college bill.</p>
<p>Most of those college comparison books tell if a college meets 100% of need. The colleges should say somewhere on their financial aid pages, too, I think.</p>