Going to college remains the best investment a student can make in his or her future. This is why nearly 20 million Americans pursue some post-secondary education each year.

But college student families also face many challenges. Many colleges are too expensive. Merit scholarships are rare and difficult to get. It takes too long to graduate. The debt burden is too high. Attending a mismatched college or pursuing a field with limited growth opportunities compounds the problem.

This course helps families in making college more affordable. It uses basic principles of finance to emphasize that lowering costs of attendance and improving returns on college investment are essential to successful college financial planning. It systematically shows families how to save money for college, get free money, borrow money, and repay, all with these two critical considerations in mind.

The instructor, Rajkamal Rao, is an expert on higher education and a professional college counselor. His online course, "School to College", an innovative ½ credit elective for high school students, is living in the state of Washington and other western states. He is an active public speaker conducting seminars on college education and student camps. He has written a book on college selection. His college blog has attracted nearly 150,000 hits from users worldwide.

All references in the course are sourced only from government agencies or reputed organizations.