Helping Students See What College Really Costs

Many students rule out college before they ever apply—not because they can’t get in, but because they believe they can’t afford it. Others limit themselves to a narrow set of schools based on unclear or confusing information about how much they’ll have to pay. 

Sticker prices can be misleading, and financial aid can be complex. As a result, many people overestimate college costs and make decisions based on those misperceptions. At the same time, colleges and universities are working to provide clearer information to prospective students but reaching them early enough in the process is a major challenge. 

That’s why College Board has added MyinTuition, a provider of innovative online cost estimation tools, to its college planning resources. Students and families can begin exploring what they may pay earlier in the process—expanding access to simple, early cost information.

Developed by Wellesley College economics professor Phillip Levine, MyinTuition tools help students and families understand what they may actually pay—quickly and easily. The platform already delivers approximately 800,000 personalized estimates each year, and College Board will work to expand its reach to more students. Phillip and Dan Richards, Chief Technology Officer at MyinTuition, will join College Board to help lead and expand this work. 

Currently used by 69 colleges and universities, MyinTuition offers two ways to get started: 

• Instant Net Price Estimator: Provides a high-level range of what a college education may cost based on family income and number of siblings in college, giving students and families an accessible starting point for exploration.  
• Quick Cost Estimator: Delivers a more personalized estimate of what a family might pay using a short set of six questions that can typically be completed in just minutes. 

These tools make cost easier to understand early in the process. A quick estimate can help students explore more options—and see that college may be more within reach than they think. By engaging students and families earlier, institutions can provide clearer, more accessible information about cost—and help students approach later steps in the process with greater clarity. 

College is one of the biggest investments students and families make—and understanding the true cost shouldn’t be a barrier to opportunity. By adding MyinTuition to our college planning resources, College Board will help more students and families get early, clear, and personalized estimates so they can explore their options with confidence. You can learn more at MyinTuition.org. We encourage you to share this resource with your communities.