Pay Less for College is a college financial aid and affordability guide that lays out for parents and students a clear and practical roadmap for cutting the true cost of a college degree. Why was this an important book for you to write?

Families are often making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives in a fog. Students and parents are rightfully overwhelmed. And the guidance they get is often cookie-cutter for a system that doesn’t financially reward a cookie-cutter approach. During our 15 years in this field we have seen and heard about the financial landmines families step on – sometimes from inexperience, misinformation, desperation, or other factors. We wanted to clear out the fog and help families create a realistic, step-by-step plan to keep college affordable. Instead of vague advice, we focus on what actually moves the needle on cost– the things families can control.

In your book, you cover the latest and upcoming changes to the FAFSA, PLUS Loans, Pell Grants, and college financial aid policies. What are some key points that parents and students need to know about these options for financial aid?

The FAFSA and Pell Grants underwent major changes that were fully implemented in the 2024-25 academic year. The book walks readers through every part of the new FAFSA and breaks down the updated undergraduate Pell Grant eligibility rules. In spring 2025, Congress passed a budget bill that changed PLUS Loans, including significantly lower annual and lifetime limits for new borrowers of undergraduate loans. This may leave private loans with their less favorable terms as the only borrowing option for parents in the student’s third or fourth years.

 What are some common mistakes or oversights that people make when deciding what college to attend, and what advice do you have to help others avoid these mistakes?

Colleges should be right for students academically, socially, and financially. Students often only apply to colleges they have heard of, ones their relatives want them to go to, or the ones their friends are applying to. They fill out the required financial aid forms and cross their fingers. Those schools may be okay academically or socially but financial fit is more complicated. It is often the most misunderstood part of the college search process. 

If saving money is important to you, dig into the college’s financial aid policies to see how they align with your individual financial situation. Also, look for colleges that will love you back – those where your genuine interests and capabilities meet or exceed what the college is looking for. And finally, submit an application that showcases your strengths and makes it easy for the admissions officers to see your value.

What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Pay Less for College?

That they have more control than they think. When families build a smart college list, apply at the right time and in the right way, understand how aid really works, evaluate offers carefully, and trim costs–both big and small–before, during, and after college, they can meaningfully cut the real cost of a college degree.

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