VestedGrad

Is your degree worth it? Compare real college costs, graduate earnings, and payoff timelines. Built on federal data. Free →

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

One school's $51K in "aid" was 84% free money.
Another's $22K was 61% loans.

Both called it "aid."

We built https://t.co/fi5mKOXqSV so families can see what they're actually paying — and if the degree is worth it.

Free. Federal data.

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

The number that should be on every aid letter but isn't:
4-year graduation rate.
At some state schools it's 40%.
A 5th year = ~$23K extra tuition + ~$47K in lost wages.
That's $70K hidden cost that no letter mentions.
#CollegeDecision

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

cc @jselingo - would love your take on whether families are getting better at negotiating aid, or if most still treat the first offer as final.

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

PSA: You can negotiate financial aid.
~65% of families who show a competing offer get more grant money.
Average gain: $3,000–$8,000/year.
That's a 15-minute email worth up to $32,000 over four years.
We wrote a free template: https://t.co/b9cn8mO7pd
#CollegeBound

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

@timemeter Right — $18K/year net vs $22K/year. The 'expensive' school is actually $4K cheaper. Sticker price tells you almost nothing.

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

Your kid got into a $60K/year school and a $25K/year school.
The $60K school gave $42K in grants.
The $25K school gave $3K in grants.
Which is the better deal?

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

Financial aid letters are the only place where borrowing $13,500 at 8% interest is called "aid."
Strip your letter down to: Cost of Attendance minus Grants & Scholarships = What You Actually Pay.
That's your real number. Everything else is how you pay it.
#FinancialAid

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

A school that costs $74K/year can actually be cheaper than one at $29K/year.
Here's the math nobody shows you 🧵
[1/6]

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

The bottom line:
Sticker price ≠ real price "Aid" ≠ free money Cheaper ≠ better deal
Every family deserves to see the real numbers before May 1.
That's why we built VestedGrad — free, federal data, no guesswork.
https://t.co/fi5mKOXqSV
[6/6]

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

A school that costs $74K/year can actually be cheaper than one at $29K/year.
Here's the math nobody shows you 🧵
[1/6]

[VestedGrad @VestedGrad]

And here's the kicker:
School B's 4-year graduation rate is 54%. School A's is 82%.
A 5th year at School B adds ~$23K in tuition + $47K in lost wages.
That's $70K in hidden risk that no aid letter mentions.
[5/6]