Join us for an engaging evening with Ron Lieber, award-winning New York Times “Your Money” columnist and author, as he shares insights on one of the biggest financial decisions families will often make - paying for college.

Few financial decisions inspire more confusion and emotion than the question of what to pay for college. Sending a teenager to four years of on-campus living costs more than $100,000 at many flagship state universities and attending a selective private college can be three times higher. While evaluating the price of college is essential, understanding value is paramount.

Based on interviews with college presidents, financial aid gatekeepers, and other research, Lieber pulls back the curtain on the complicated financial aid system and merit aid, a new form of discounting that many colleges use to compete with peers. He offers guidance on how to evaluate college costs and compare what is worth paying extra for by considering a variety of attributes such as size, programs, access to professors, strength of career center, and engagement of the alumni network.

Additionally, Lieber walks families through the process of setting financial goals, explaining the system to their children and figuring out the right ways to save, borrow, and bargain for a better deal.

Additional Information

Audience: High School parents, students, teachers, and counselors
Admission: Free

Biography

Ron Lieber has been the “Your Money” columnist for The New York Times since 2008. His most recent book "The Price You Pay for College" was published in January 2021.

Before working at The New York Times, Mr. Lieber was a columnist for The Wall Street Journal, where he was part of the startup team for the “Personal Journal” section in 2002. He has written for Fast Company and Fortune and is a recipient of the Gerald Loeb award, business journalism's highest honor.

Mr. Lieber is a graduate of Amherst College. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with his wife, and their two daughters.

Sponsored By

Mountain View Los Altos High School Foundation
Los Altos Educational Foundation
Mountain View Whisman Educational Foundation
Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council

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Ron Lieber - The Price You Pay For College: An Entirely New Road Map