Designing a Strategic College Funding Plan

3

Net Price Navigator (15 mins)

Distribute the activity sheet. Students practice identifying aid types in "profiles" and calculating the resulting Net Price. They will rank colleges not by their COA, but by their affordability after aid.

Differentiation & Support

For Struggling Learners:

Provide a "T-Chart" graphic organizer to sort aid types before starting the math. Use simplified round numbers for calculations.

For Advanced Learners:

Have them research "Renewable vs. Non-renewable" scholarships and calculate how the Net Price might change in years 2, 3, and 4.

Formative Assessment

"If College A costs $50,000 but gives you $30,000 in grants, and College B costs $30,000 but gives you $5,000 in grants, which one has the lower Net Price? Explain why looking at the sticker price alone is misleading."

Red Flags to Watch For

• Hidden Loans: Loans presented without the word "loan" (e.g., "Direct Subsidized").
• Parent PLUS Inclusion: Including parent loans to reach a $0 balance due.
• Missing COA: Letters that only list aid but omit the total cost (COA), making it impossible to calculate the gap.
• Work-Study as a Credit: Listing work-study as a subtraction from the bill (you don't get this money until you work the hours!).

Closure / Exit Ticket

"Examine the provided sample letter. If this student declines the 'Direct Unsubsidized Loan,' what happens to their 'Balance Due'? Why is it vital to know this before school starts?"

3. Drafting the Correction

Imagine you are the college Financial Aid Director. Write one sentence that clearly explains the "Funding Gap" to a student so they aren't surprised by the bill later.

"Your estimated out-of-pocket cost after free money is..."

3

The Salary-to-Debt Simulation (15 mins)

Students use the Bridging the Gap Worksheet to research the starting salary for a career they are interested in. They apply the "Rule of 1" to determine their total 4-year borrowing ceiling. They then compare this to the college gaps they calculated in Lessons 1-3.

Pacing Note

Don't get bogged down in interest rate math (APR). Focus on the total balance. 10th graders respond better to "How much do I owe total?" than "How much is my monthly payment in 6 years?"

Closing Question

"If your career is likely to pay $40,000/year, but your 4-year loan total is heading toward $80,000, what are three specific strategic changes you could make TODAY to lower that debt?"

Key Rubric Indicators

Accuracy:

Does the COA match the school's actual data? Is the math for the 4-year forecast correct?

Justification:

Does the student explain why the debt level is "Safe" based on their specific career research?

Debrief Prompt

"What was the single most surprising thing you discovered about your 'dream school' during this project? How did that change your strategy for 11th and 12th grade?"

$ ________________

The Strategic Justification:

Is this plan sustainable? If your 4-year debt is higher than your starting salary, what is your "Pivot Plan" (e.g., Transfer from CC, find more grants, live at home)?