Recognizing that money is one of the biggest barriers to college access, a new online resource is now available to connect students with financial resources to pay for higher education, with the information broken down by grade.
The “Dollars for College Toolkit,” launched Sept. 18, is sponsored by America’s Promise Alliance, The Citi Foundation and uAspire. It has downloadable resources useful to students at different stages: before they reach high school, each grade in high school and during college. There is also a section for parents and caregivers.
The “pre-high school” section explains different types of colleges, how “sticker price” that schools publish often differs from the bottom-line that students pay and various expenses associated with getting a degree. As students progress through high school, the toolkit offers more detailed information about applying for financial aid, deciding on the most affordable options and finding scholarships.
To help educate students and families about covering the cost of college, Boston-based uAspire has been expanding its training on those topics for high school counselors to assist students in finding available financial aid and the schools with the right financial fit.