Administration Change in College Aid Formula Shifts More Costs to Students

The changes, only a slight alteration in the formula governing financial aid, are expected to diminish the government's contribution to higher education by hundreds of millions of dollars, starting in the fall of 2004.

How much more money this may require of students and their parents will vary widely, changing with every set of circumstances that make families unique. Some families may be expected to pay an extra $100 or less each year, while others may owe well over $1,000 more.