Motivational speaker Robert Ringer once said something very appropriate for people staring down the price tag of a college education. According to Ringer, “Reality isn’t the way you wish things to be, nor the way they appear to be, but the way they actually are.” In other words, reality is reality.

No truer words could be spoken when it comes to tackling the high costs of college, as I’m sure you’re coming to understand. College is going to cost a lot of money, and all the wishing, hoping, and dreaming in the world is not going to pay those bills. But luckily, by the end of this book, you will be.

But to reach that financial finish line, you’re going to have to figure out where you’re starting from today. That’s what this part is all about—helping you determine what those costs really will be, understanding how you can trim them, and strategizing how to use whatever assets you have at your disposal.