Emory University has launched a new easy-to-use college cost estimator, called MyinTuition, on its office of financial aid and undergraduate admission websites. The online tool provides prospective students and their families a faster, easier way to estimate the cost of attending Emory College of Arts and Sciences, or Oxford College.

MyinTuition, developed by an economist at Wellesley College, asks users six to 12 basic financial questions and provides a personalized estimate of what it would cost an individual to attend that particular college. Emory is among 15 institutions launching MyinTuition this week, joining more than 30 schools already using the tool.

“One of the biggest hurdles for our prospective undergraduate families is getting past Emory’s sticker price and understanding that Emory can be affordable,” says John Leach, assistant vice provost and director of university financial aid.

MyinTuition estimates out-of-pocket costs paid by the family, along with loan and work-study expectations, in addition to scholarships (grants) provided by the institution. Benefits of using the tool include: 

• Estimates are based on actual financial aid packages from Emory, using real numbers and cases that are similar to your family’s information.
• The estimate output is based on a range of financial aid packages (rather than one static number) and provides a best, high, and low estimate.
• Using the estimator takes on average about three minutes.
• Once the information is entered, users can click through to all partner schools on the site to see their costs, making comparisons easier.

“MyinTuition meets the need for fast, clear, and effective cost estimates for our students,” says Leach. “In the time it takes you to read this article, you could answer the six to 12 questions and get a good estimate of Emory’s costs.”

Like any tool, Leach adds, the more accurate the information provided, the better the cost estimate will be. 

Click here to access Emory’s MyinTuition site.