Getting Ready to Pay for College: What Students and Their Parents Know About the Cost of College Tuition and What They Are Doing to Find Out. Statistical Analysis Report

摘要

Findings from surveys of adults in general and of parents of college-age children suggest that Americans place a high value on obtaining a college education, but that they have difficulty estimating college costs. This study uses data from the Parent and Youth Surveys of the 1999 National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES: 1999) to investigate how much 'college-bound' students in grades 6 through 12 and their parents know about the cost of attending college, and the relationships between their knowledge of college costs and how they go about preparing for college. It examines whether parents had started to save for their children's education, gathered information on financial aid, and knew about various tax credits to help offset costs. Students were asked about discussions they had with parents or teachers/counselors to learn about college costs, academic requirements, and financial aid availability.