<p>Is it important to look at this number or not? When I look at my top-dollar college choices and my lower cost colleges the average indebtedness is almost the same.</p>
<p>A lot of my choices are really costly and now that I see that this number is close to my other colleges, I'm really strating to consider them a lot more.</p>
<p>Should I trust this number or is it not that reliable?</p>
<p>Um, what is the number? If it's around $5K per year it's not so surprising.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the indebtedness numbers are by nature old data. The data that you see is for students that started college 6 years ago. Fin Aid at a school may have had profound changes during that time. Also keep in mind that indebtedness does not include what parents may have borrowed. </p>
<p>What really counts is what the FinAid is like today. How much loan is typically included in the FA package? How are outside scholarships treated? Do they reduce loan, grant, both, or neither? Once you get a grip on the first-year FA numbers, try to project over 4 years. Quite often FA packages include more loan as you progress. Realize that while a $1500 difference doesn't seem like much, it adds up to $6000 or more over 4 years. Always try to base decisions on projected 4-year costs rather than just the first year. In addition, plan on finishing college in 4 year or less. An extra semester or year is very expensive.</p>
<p>All those averages - average indebtedness, average aid, average grants etc - may be somewhat useful for comparison purposes. But you have to realize that those averages may have absolutely no relationship to what your own figure will be. Remember if I have 0 debt coming out of school and you have $60,000 then our average debt is $30,000. You still have $60k in debt. If I have $40k in grants and you have $10k in grants then our average grant is $25k, you still have only $10k. </p>
<p>Those averages are just that - averages, with each person having very varying individual amounts. Some people with high loans may skew the average upwards, people with no loans may skew the average downward. You cannot look at them and think that is what you will end up with.</p>
<p>Your own financial and family situation has an enormous impact on what your personal debt, grant, or other aid will be. If you have a high EFC you may not get grant aid at a school. If your family is not able to pay the high EFC you may end up with more in loans than another person with the same EFC whose family is able to pay the EFC. Those averages are just that - averages. Some people with high loans may skew the average upwards, people with no loans may skew the average downward.</p>