For the 99% of families whose kids aren't going to Harvard, Lynn O'Shaughnessy's The College Solutionis the #1 guide on choosing and paying for the right college. Now, O'Shaughnessy has completely updated this best-seller to reflect massive recent changes in college financing. O'Shaughnessy shows how to slash college costs today and how many students can still go to "private" for virtually the cost of "in-state public." This brand-new Second Edition reveals how to use new government-mandated online price calculators to make more intelligent cost projections than ever before. O'Shaughnessy explains dramatic changes in the student loan landscape, offering up-to-the-minute advice for getting the right loan, and avoiding the wrong one. She presents up-to-the-minute "industry secrets" about how colleges really parcel out financial aid and how even "average" students can get more of it. Families will learn how to use colleges' extensive new Facebook presences to evaluate schools more effectively… what every parent of an athlete must know about athletic scholarships… and how to make sure a college actually delivers the knowledge and skills it promises. O'Shaughnessy integrates this crucial new information into her easy-to-use, proven roadmap for getting past the ratings, and finding the right program at the right price. No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing and paying for college now and no other book will save you as much money!