Last week NPR released more startling statistics on student debt.  Student debt was up another 5% in the last academic year from the year prior.  The average undergraduate debt moved up to more than $25,000 with the aggregate student debt now over the 1 trillion dollar mark.

Every time I speak or write to high school counselors, I close my comments with this line..."together, we can end this cycle of excessive student debt."  I say this because I know it will take a concerted effort to change the paradigm of the college selection process and the paradigm of college decision making.

This Friday, December 2nd, I've been invited to speak to the Chicago area Directors of Guidance at their quarterly meeting.  I plan to demonstrate the Financial Fit College Selection Program along with the myfinancialfit software.  I look forward to their ideas and feedback as to how we can best help our students and families make college decisions that don't lead them to bleak futures trying to pay back some of these excessive debt loads.

If you are the parent of a junior, I would encourage you to start using the myfinancialfit.com affordability calculator.  This calculator will help you assess your affordability threshold.  Once you establish that threshold, you can experiment with the net price comparison chart.  Using net price calculators from a variety of colleges, you can determine which categories of schools seem to match your threshold.

Do not allow your son or daughter to spend time, energy, and money researching colleges that are not affordable to you.  Don't judge whether a college is affordable or not based on sticker price.  Judge it with net price....a price you can now learn well in advance.