Aliya Maly had her heart set on attending the University of Portland for a degree in elementary education — until she learned the price tag.
The university had offered on its website to help students cover tuition. But on a campus tour, Maly recalled learning the cost would be $20,000 more than she thought.
Her next choice was the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but she missed a deadline to accept admission. So Maly enrolled at Edgewood University, which offered a better financial aid package with a refund every semester.