It is a good time to discuss how our nation’s economic problems might influence the process of applying to college and finding the money to pay for it.

Speaking mainly to those who have a year or two before college, the biggest effect is that now, more than ever, the making of a realistic college list is all important. As you begin to sort out the colleges that you would like to attend, you necessarily must juggle three factors at the same time: 

• All the regular college admissions stuff- the right academic program, a good personal fit, size, location, and so forth
• The college’s competitive levelcompared to your attributes - your chance of being admitted
• Financial considerations- how you are going to come up with the money to pay the bill

In each post, I'll talk more about each of these factors in the context of this changed economic environment - where poor planning can leave a student with very little in the way of good college options.