Need help finding the right school that fits your budget? Here are some tips.

• Apply to at least one financial safety school. This is a school that will not only admit you, but that you could afford without any financial aid. — Mark Kantrowitz, national financial aid expert

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  Look at the cost for all four years. About half of college front-load grants, meaning the grants are only available during a student’s freshman year only. “It’s kind of like a bait and switch. You get one price your freshman year and a higher price your next years.” — Kantrowitz

• Don’t borrow too much. If your student loan debt exceeds your expected first year salary, it could mean you will be in repayment for 20 years or more. “That means you’ll still be in debt when your children go to college.” — Kantrowitz
•  Consider quality. Look at a school’s four-year graduation rate. Attending a fifth year means not only additional tuition charges, but a year of lost income. — Brent Shock, Miami University financial aid director
• Understand fees. Some schools charge technology fees, parking fees, a fee for taking extra classes, laboratory fees, fees on certain classes or majors. “Those are things that really impact your bottom line.” — Doug Schantz, creator of CheapScholar.org

• Be mindful of application fees. Application fees could total $1,000 if you apply to 10 colleges at a $100 application fee. — Kantrowitz

• Know the 3 components of financial aid letters. There may be different names for programs, but all money is either free money (scholarships and grants), work-study money and loan money. — Schantz