The Cost After

The Price You Pay for College by Ron Lieber
Harper, January 26, 2021

In his broad coverage of financing information for a four-year residential college, Ron Lieber details the intricacies of a topic that independent school educators will find instructive, whether as parents or advisors to future college applicants. The narrative draws the reader into the world of college admissions through anecdotes, quotes, and carefully chosen statistics. Lieber (himself a parent to a college-bound high school student) illustrates the numerous factors that influence the planning for, choice of, and financing of the college experience. His exposition of the merit aid process, the role of student grades in determining the tuition costs at some state colleges, various college financing mechanisms, and many other concepts is eye-opening and highly informative. Educators, school leaders, and students alike would benefit from reading this book, given the usefulness of the subject matter covered and the lucid explanations contained within it. The final chapter focuses on hope and serves to reassure those who have to finance the cost of college that they can manage the emotional toll of the whole process. Lieber's book makes a great introduction to the novice and a relevant reference to others further along in the college financing process.