Net Price vs. Sticker Price

The sticker price is the college’s advertised cost of attendance. It’s the number you see on websites and brochures—and it often scares families away too soon.

The net price is what you pay after all grants, scholarships, and aid have been applied. That’s the number that counts.
It’s calculated as:

Cost of Attendance − Grants and Scholarships = Net Price

Every Family Has a Different Net Price

Your net price depends on:

• Your income and assets

• Family size and number of kids in college

• Your student’s academic profile

• How the college awards aid

• Whether the school requires FAFSA, CSS Profile, or both

Two families applying to the same college can receive wildly different aid offers—and pay very different amounts.

Why Most Families Overlook This

Many families:

• Assume they won’t qualify for aid

• Don’t know how to estimate net price early enough

• Base decisions on rankings instead of value

• Don’t realize private schools often give more aid than public ones

The result? Missed opportunities and higher out-of-pocket costs.

How to Use Net Price Strategically

At Diversified College Planning, we help you:

• Identify schools likely to offer the most aid

• Compare true costs across colleges—not just sticker prices

• Plan ahead to position your finances for aid eligibility

• Appeal or negotiate based on actual net price differences

📞 Want to discover your student’s true college cost?
Website: https://diversifiedcollegeplanning.com/contact-us/
Phone: 770-662-8510
📅 Schedule with Mike