What college costs,
honestly
The real price of a year, the credit your AP and IB scores earn, aid letters decoded, and the true cost of changing your major.
True Cost of Attendance
Award letters hide the real number. Enter the figures from yours and see what a year actually costs.
Billed by the university
Charged directly, per year
Never billed, still spent
Estimated by you, per year
Gift aid only
Grants and scholarships — not loans or work-study
Full price vs. what remains
The bill vs. daily life
Net out of pocket is what you and your family cover after grants and scholarships — before any loans. Figures come from your award letter, so the result is only as honest as the letter itself.
AP & IB Credit Value
The same score buys different things at different schools. See how far your exams carry toward a 120-credit degree — and what that is worth in tuition.
Your exams
Add every AP or IB exam you have taken or expect to take
Highly selective
Only a 5 on AP or a 7 on IB earns creditPublic flagship
3+ on AP or 5+ on IB counts toward requirementsRegional & liberal arts
The broadest transfer policiesValued at $1,500 per three-credit course — the U.S. average. Across the three tiers: $0 – $0.
These tiers are benchmarks, not promises — every college publishes its own credit policy. Confirm with the admissions office before you count on a single credit.
The Aid Letter De-Coder
Three offers, one honest picture. Sort every line into money that is free, earned, or borrowed — and see which school actually costs the least.
The three offers you are comparing
Where each dollar of the sticker price comes from
Loan totals here are one award year. The four-year projection simply multiplies by four — real offers change year to year, so treat it as a floor, not a promise.
The Major Pivot Risk Assessor
Most students change majors at least once — the smart ones pick freshman classes that survive the switch. Choose your Plan A and your quiet Plan B, and see how much of your first year works for both.
How the two plans overlap
counts toward Plan A alone
The safe zone
counts toward both plans
what a pivot would add
Your freshman-year game plan
Fill your first two semesters from the safe zone. Save the rest for the moment you are sure.
Safe-bet courses — take these first
Every one of these counts no matter which plan wins.
High-sunk-cost courses — wait if unsure
These only pay off if Plan A sticks. Schedule them after the safe bets.
Switch after freshman year
Switch after sophomore year
Built on a benchmark model of common first-two-year requirements at US universities. Every school publishes its own degree maps — treat this as strategy, and your advisor as the source of truth.
“Advancing Excellence. Ensuring Success.”
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