Getting ready to pay for college: What students and their parents know about the cost of college tuition and what they are doing to find out

This study examines how much 6th-12th grade students who reported plans to attend college and their parents knows about the cost of attending college, and the level of college preparation they undergo. Parent and youth survey data is analyzed and the study reveals that many middle and high school students and their parents, particularly parents with lower income and education level, do not have an accurate idea of the cost of college tuition, and students that were involved in family decision making were more inclined to gather information about college.