About Us
About the College Cost Transparency Initiative
The higher education community is committed to providing students financial aid information about the cost of college that is clear, accurate, and transparent. This goal has never been more important as students and families grapple with college affordability in an increasingly complex financial aid system consisting of multiple grant and loan programs with different eligibility requirements.
In the fall of 2022, the leaders of 10 higher education associations representing college presidents, financial aid offices, and admissions and school counselors announced the formation of a task force — the College Cost Transparency Initiative (CCT) — to improve the clarity, accuracy, and understanding of student financial aid offers by producing a set of guiding principles and minimal standards to be used when communicating aid offers.
The CCT task force’s sole focus and mission was to courage and assist efforts by institutions to communicate with students and families about college costs in a way that is clear, accurate and helpful. Broader issues and concerns of importance to colleges and students, such as cost of attendance and sources of financial support for students, were not discussed or considered by the task force.
This work is generously sponsored by a grant from Strada Education Foundation.