Get Smart About College

Get Smart About College, written by S. Baum and M. McPherson, discusses the process of picking out the right college for incoming freshmen. Parents and students may think they're 'dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's,' but they fail to realize the bigger picture when it comes to financing for school. One reason for this is how a school presents its financial aid, e.g. XYZ College charges $40,000 for tuition and offers a $10,000 scholarship, instead of simply stating they want to charge $30,000. The second reason why parents overlook the bigger picture is short-term thinking. Most often, people will see the school's price tag and only think about the first job their students will get straight out of college. In the end, the school with the best price will get chosen, instead of the one with the best fit for the student. The last reason the article mentions is due to the misleading warnings, bad examples, and "inspiring" stories. Some families think that college isn't worth it, or they hear of "captivating headlines." They don't understand the bias these stories hold. At the ends of each point are helpful tips for parents and students. 


I chose this article because I can personally relate to it. A year ago, I was in this position, desperately trying to pick the right college. I was never told the financial aspect to the decision making. I do think I would have an easier time writing about this because there are a lot of ideas I agree and disagree with.