US: Real higher education costs now clearer

How much will college really cost? For American families, the answer may soon become clearer. Starting on 29 October, any college or university participating in federal student aid programmes must have a net-price calculator on its website, writes Emily Glazer for the Wall Street Journal.

The calculator will allow families to estimate how much they'll have to pay for tuition and fees at a specific university. The calculator will spell out the estimated cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation and personal expenses. It will then subtract any grant aid, such as a Pell Grant or scholarship that the family expects the student to receive.

Though more than 7,000 institutions must have the calculator in place by this weekend some - such as the University of Miami and Ohio Northern University - have been using it for a while. The mandate is part of the Higher Education Opportunity Act signed into law two years ago.
Full report on the Wall Street Journal site