One of the most important (and often overlooked!) steps in building a financially smart college list is running the Net Price Calculator for each school. This tool gives you a personalized estimate of what that college might cost your family, after financial aid is applied.
And the best part? It only takes about 5–10 minutes per school.
🧭 How to Find the Net Price Calculator
Go to the "View Details" of the School Discovery page in GradMap's College App Management System (CAM) then click on the Cost & Aid tab, the net price calculator link can be found there.
OR
Just Google:
<College Name> Net Price Calculator
(Example: University of Oregon Net Price Calculator)
Look for a result that links to the college’s official website, usually ending in .edu.
🧾 What They’ll Ask For
Parent income and assets
Student income and assets (if any)
Household size and number of students in college
Academic info (like GPA, test scores, and class rank)
You can often estimate these numbers if you’re not sure, but the more accurate, the better the estimate.
📊 What You’ll Get
Once completed, the calculator will give you:
An estimate of your family’s expected contribution (EFC)
Grants, scholarships, or merit aid you might qualify for
An estimated out-of-pocket cost for that college
This is not a final financial aid offer, but it’s a solid early look at how a school might fit your budget.
✏️ GradMap Pro Tip
Stay Anonymous
You don’t need to enter your real name or email—just put “Test” or “Sample Student” in the name fields to keep things private.
Run calculators for every college on your list and compare the results side by side.
Save screenshots or results in your GradMap locker so you can reference them during application and decision time.
Colleges can use different formulas to determine how much aid they'll provide. Two schools with the same sticker price could offer you very different out-of-pocket costs.
Running the Net Price Calculator now can help your family build a financially realistic list, avoid surprises later, and feel empowered to make the best decisions together.
Let’s get calculating! 🧮