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Step 1
Sit down with your teen and discuss what major she would like to study and her desires for college. Deal with the big issues such as staying close to home or moving away, living at home or living on campus.
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Step 2
Talk with your teen's guidance counselor at school and find out his opinion on where your teen should go to school and what your child is academically ready for.
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Step 3
Decide on a few schools and start researching with the help of your teen, as you want her involved in every aspect of the process.
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Step 4
Visit the websites of the preferred schools for tuition and schooling costs. Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper and write the costs of each school on either side. This way, you can clearly see the difference in price.
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Step 5
Make sure to compare them accurately. Some schools may include something in their costs that another school doesn't such as books, student activity fees and registration fees.
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Step 6
Take a tour of the schools you are considering and see where the money is going. During this tour, look at living accommodations. Do freshmen have to live in the dorms, are there apartments nearby that are inexpensive and are there student aid programs available to pay for some of these living expenses? Are utilities covered in rent?
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Step 7
Consider encouraging your child to attend a community college for the first two years to take all her prerequisites, and then transfer to a university to finish her major.
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Step 8
Determine if your family or teen is eligible for any scholarships, work study opportunities or other programs that can help defer the cost of attending. This may open your mind to more costly schools without paying the extra costs. Include the dollar value of these potential savings in your list comparing prices.
