BY DESIGN: How Much Will That College Cost You? Good Luck Figuring it Out.

Financial aid offer letters are supposed to tell families how much they will have to pay for college, which can be the deciding factor in where—or even whether—students go to college. But too often, the letters leave out important information and use terms that make it confusing to figure out the final cost.

Some student advocates say the letters are downright deceptive. Others believe the lack of consistent language causes confusion; each college has its own format with its own vocabulary. This can make it difficult to answer the critical question: How much will this cost me?

For over a decade, college access groups have been lobbying for a bill in Congress that would require all colleges to use the same, clearly labeled, standard form—kind of like nutrition labels on food—so families could accurately compare offers. But college associations and others have worked to block it.

If kids had a better idea of what a degree costs, they’d have a better idea if it was worthwhile.