MCLEAN, Va. (DC News Now) -- One minute you’re cheering as your student turns their tassel at graduation, the next you’re in shock after seeing college tuition prices.

College is more expensive than ever, and if you’ve talked to any graduate drowning in student debt, you might start to rethink attending your dream school. But there are ways to bring those costs down—and some of them may surprise you.

Brock Jolly of The College Funding Coach, a nationwide company that prepares families to choose and pay for college, said families should weigh a college’s financial fit just as much as its academics, location and campus culture. His first piece of advice is to draw a line in the sand, determining early on what your family can truly afford and how you will pay.

“Determine whether you're eli

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