I agree that college is/can be expensive, but I think that your 4-year figure for tuition actually includes everything. Granted, tuition and fees are pretty fix

I agree that college is/can be expensive, but I think that your 4-year figure for tuition actually includes everything. Granted, tuition and fees are pretty fixed, but the other expenses - room/board, books/supplies, transportation, personal expenses - are usually quite variable. And, if you go a community college, which is considerably cheaper, you can then move on to a 4-year college. In some states, doing well at the community college, almost guarantees you admission to one of the good public 4-year colleges.