Expenses at 3,200 schools and colleges are identified, and information is presented on applying for student financial aid and on estimating financial need. Recent changes in federal aid programs, eligibility requirements, and major programs are also outlined. In considering the cost of college, the following areas need to be addressed: tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, transportation, and a total expense budget. The following financial aid sources are examined: Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, National Direct Student Loans, College Work-Study Program, service academies, Reserve Officer Training Corps, Bureau of Indian Affairs, state government programs, financial aid from colleges, the Guaranteed Student Loan Program, veterans' education benefits, vocational rehabilitation benefits, and help from private student aid sources. In calculating how much the individual's contribution should be in paying for college costs, consideration is given to the family's income and assets and the student's ability to pay, with a special note on independent or self-supporting students. Additional topics include the following: strategies for stretching one's resources, reducing the time involved in earning a degree, reducing indirect costs, prepayment plans, and strategies for working one's way through college, understanding financial aid awards, responsible borrowing, and student rights and responsibilities. Appended materials include: student expenses by institution, a glossary, worksheets and tables, sources of information about state grant programs and the Guaranteed Student Loan Program, and institutions listed alphabetically. (SW)