1. The College's Cost of Attendance
The full "sticker price" for one year. Find these figures on the college's website or your award letter.
$
$
$
2. Gift Aid — Money You Don't Repay
$
$
3. Self-Help Aid — Loans & Work (Optional)
$
$
Your Estimated Net Price (per year)
$0
This is what you'd actually pay after gift aid — before any loans.
Sticker Price
$0
Gift Aid (free)
$0
Loans (you repay)
$0
Net Price
$0
Understanding Your Number
Net price ≠ sticker price. Your net price is the cost of attendance minus gift aid (grants and scholarships you never repay). It's the real, honest cost — and it's often far lower than the sticker price, especially at pricey private colleges with generous aid.
Loans are NOT aid. A loan is borrowed money you must repay with interest. Many award letters list loans alongside grants to make the "package" look bigger — but a loan doesn't lower your cost; it just delays it. Always separate free money (grants + scholarships) from borrowed money (loans).
Compare colleges by net price, not sticker. A $60,000 school that gives $40,000 in grants ($20,000 net) is cheaper than a $30,000 school that gives $5,000 ($25,000 net). Use net price — never the sticker — to compare. Try our Award Letter Comparison tool to line up several offers side by side.
This is a simplified estimate for planning and understanding. Every college also publishes an official Net Price Calculator on its website that gives a personalized estimate — use those too. For more, see the K12 Academics Paying for College toolkit.