Taming the Tuition Tiger

Taming the Tuition Tiger

Los Angeles Times

When it comes to money matters,college tuition financing can be abeast. While there may be no swordto slay it, there are many strategies tohelp parents and students to at least domesticate it. ($18.95;Bloomberg Press; 2003), written by financial journalistKathy Kristof, is a veritable bullwhipin the hands of the otherwise potentiallydefenseless tuition financer.

The book explores many topics.Among the topics discussed are 529plans, Uniform Gifts to Minors Act Accounts(UGMAs), Coverdell EducationSavings Accounts (education IRAs), IndividualDevelopment Accounts (IDAs)for low-income families, student loans,financial aid programs, and scholarships,both public and private.

Tamingthe Tuition Tiger

Garnished with many useful chartsand worksheets throughout, is easy to understand.The book reads more like a conversationwith a very knowledgeablefriend, unlike other books on the subject,which often crawl along at thesnail's pace of a boring lecture.Kristof's lively, witty style includesgood, old-fashioned honesty.

Taming the Tuition Tiger

Though the strategies described inthis book are more geared towardundergraduate students, they couldeasily be applied to graduate students. maynot slay the college finance beast,but it's a worthwhile step towardmaking it behave.