Paying for College
Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions you can make. Choosing how you are going to pay for it is important too. You probably have more options than you realize, and you may be surprised by what it actually costs to attend various institutions. Be sure to take advantage of the C&CC when deciding what to do about financial aid, and check out all of the resources below.
The Real Cost of College
Before you start looking at the various financial aid options available to you, it's important that you know what the "real" cost of college is according to the colleges' own "net price calculators." A lot of students assume that a community college is the least expensive route, but depending on your family income, California State Universities and even University of California campuses might be less expensive in the long run. Have a look at this map comparing the cost of attending any of the ten University of California campuses to nearby CSUs and community colleges.
