A new law requires colleges to offer online calculators to tally up the "net cost" of getting a degree. But do parents need a Ph.D. to use them? TALK ABOUT SOME tough homework. When it comes to deciding which college is most affordable, parents can spend days trying to add up all the hidden costs of matriculating (did anyone remember that 24-hour cereal bar?) and figuring out whether their kids are eligible for any financial aid. Enter the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 - specifically, a little-noticed part of that giant bill, which goes into effect this fall and requires about 7,000 colleges to start fessing up on the "net price" of getting a degree from their esteemed halls.
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