<p>You can suggest that your parents run the FAFSA EFC calculators at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) and at [College</a> Admissions - SAT - University & College Search Tool](<a href=“http://www.collegeboard.org%5DCollege”>http://www.collegeboard.org) to get an idea of what the colleges will expect your family to be able to pay. If they have financial responsibilities for extended family, they may not be able to pay very much at all. </p>
<p>Since they worked their way through college, they probably expect that it would be possible for you to do so as well. Well it is. It just is much , much more difficult than it was even only 20 years ago. If money is an issue, you may need to begin at a community college or public university that you can commute to. You may need to work full-time and study part-time. When you talk with your parents about your education, ask them about what it was like for them to go to college. Then listen to their stories. Think long and hard about how much of what they did for their educations is something that you can do for yours.</p>