According to the Department of Education (Federal Student Aid Handbook, 2016), the cost of attendance is an estimate of a student's educational expenses for the period of enrollment. Cost of attendance is not only as important to consider as tuition and fees (which are only one component of cost of attendance), but it serves as the cornerstone of establishing a student's financial need. It sets a limit on the total financial aid that a student may receive from TEACH Grant, Campus-Based Programs, and Direct/Indirect Plus Loans, and is one of the basic components of the Pell Grant calculation (Federal Student Aid Handbook, 2016). For example, if the institution lists $8,224 as the tuition and fees, a student is likely to hit a financial ceiling due to unaccounted expenses such as books, lab equipment, health insurance, or other similar necessities. In clearly defining the cost of attendance, colleges include a more inclusive, though not completely exhaustive, list of the expenses not typically accounted for under the "fees" umbrella of "tuition and fees." The purpose of this policy brief is to explore college affordability through the perspectives and experiences of low-income students in the South. It will also highlight the value of need-based aid programs in increasing college completion rates and explain how specific states in the South are financially supporting low-income students. The brief concludes with recommendations for college faculty and administrators, legislators, and families of students to inform and mitigate college affordability issues that students routinely encounter in institutions of higher education.