The cost of your college education is one of the most important factors in making a college decision. However, the college "sticker price" (the cost of tuition and fees, room and board listed on websites and in brochures) should not prevent you from adding a college to your list and applying. 

This piece of advice is so important it's worth repeating... DO NOT let the cost of a college or university prevent you from applying to that institution. 

This past year, a school with one of the highest price tags ($79,000/a year) ended up being the most affordable (FREE!) for the student once financial aid was applied. 

Here are some general rules to keep in mind: 

• In-state public institutions (Ohio State, Cincinnati, Kent State) offer low sticker prices but typically not as much financial aid. 

• Out-of-state public institutions (Kentucky, Clemson, Penn State) are expensive and typically do not provide as much financial aid. 

• Private institutions, both in-state and out-of-state (Otterbein, Capital, Ohio Dominican) have a higher sticker price but typically offer generous financial aid awards. 

• Selective colleges and universities (Brown, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame) typically have large sticker prices but are exceptionally generous with financial aid; usually making the cost to attend almost FREE!

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been underfunded by over $12 billion over the last 30 years. Unfortunately this underfunding has affected the amount of financial aid available to interested students. uAspire, a non-profit organization working to improve the economic mobility of underrepresented students by increasing access to financial aid and postsecondary pathways, has used data to identify HBCUs that are "financially safer." You can find the list of schools here and a map of the schools here.

• In many cases, Cristo Rey Columbus students will have the cost of tuition and fees covered by financial aid. However, room and board costs will still remain. Consider, now, how important living on campus is to you versus the affordability of your college degree.

• If you are eligible for a Pell Grant the cost to attend Columbus State Community College will be discounted or FREE! How to know if you're eligible? Complete FAFSA!