The bills would provide clearer information about college finances to students, beginning with their search of prospective schools and continuing until they graduate. Congress has already made part of the financial aid process easier by passing legislation in December that will simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid from 108 to 36 questions.
“All of this is critically important to get clear information to students at different points on their financial aid trajectory through their postsecondary experience,” said Laura Keane, chief policy officer at uAspire, a nonprofit that advises about 10,000 students per year on how to pay for college.
That begins with the Net Price Calculator Improvement Act, which would make online net price calculators more user-friendly and accessible, allowing students to understand the net price of attending different colleges before deciding where to apply.