Middle class families often find themselves in the difficult position of being "too rich" to qualify for federal or institution need-based aid and "too poor"to pay for the full cost of college out of pocket. In addition, their children may not have the grades or abilities necessary to qualify for lucrative academic, athletic, or artistic scholarships. Particularly if parents have multiple children, money challenges can start to feel insurmountable. So, what's a family to do?Student loans are the only way, right? Not so fast!

In this class, learners will differentiate between a college's sticker price and its cost of attendance (COA). They will learn numerous strategies to deploy to earn college credits while in high school, receive aid that isn't based on top academic achievement, take advantage of employer tuition benefits, and harness the time value of money and compound interest. Topics include 529 plans, Coverdell ESAs, dual enrollment and AP classes, choosing a major, the various types of student loans, theoretical case studies, and more. Through a host of creative strategies, ideas, and personal finance suggestions, middle class families with average-performing students will become empowered to pursue the maximum benefit from a college education with minimum debt.