OPTIONAL PLANNING TOOL

College Reality Check

Use this only if college or trade school is part of your plan. Build the numbers, compare transfer options, and see how debt may fit the career you picked.

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OPTIONAL PLANNING TOOL

COLLEGE REALITY CHECK

College Reality Check

Use this tool when college is part of your plan. Pick schools, majors, transfer paths, and funding to see what the numbers could actually look like.

Pick a school and choose a major from the dropdown. The 2026–27 tuition estimate fills itself in, and schools with major-based pricing update again when the major changes. School choices also show the current tuition estimate right in the list.

Your numbers stay on your device. This calculator runs in your browser and does not send your financial entries anywhere.

OPTIONAL TRANSFER PLAN

Start here, transfer later

Do part of your degree at one school, then transfer and finish somewhere else. We’ll price both parts.

✓ Use a transfer plan

Phase 1Automatically uses your plan above.

✓

Your first-school plan carries over automatically.

College, major/program, years in school, tuition, books, and living plan all come from the choices you already made above.

Your selections above become Phase 1.

Phase 2Choose where you’ll transfer to finish.

Then transfer to

Final major / program

Years at transfer school

Living plan after transfer

Transfer plan: Phase 1 uses everything you entered above. Choose only the transfer school, final major, years there, and living plan.

Transfer check: This is a planning estimate, not a guarantee that every credit transfers. Confirm the exact pathway with both schools before enrolling.

2. Money you expect to have

Scholarships + grants / year

Family / savings / cash / year

Work income used for school / year

Student debt already expected

3. What do you expect to earn?

Starting salary updates automatically from the major or career you picked above. You can still edit it if you have a better local estimate.

Expected starting salary

Estimated starting salary $45,000/year Updates from the major selected above.

Salary estimate updates from your selected major/career.

HOW WILL YOU COVER THE GAP?

Tap this if you want the reality check to include an estimated student-loan payment.

READY TO CHECK

Southeast Missouri State University

Enter your plan to see the numbers.

We will estimate your total cost, funding gap, student debt, and monthly loan payment.

Total estimated cost—

Money you plan to contribute—

Estimated funding gap—

10-year loan payment—

Lower riskHigher risk

Your result will appear here.

Ways to improve the plan

Run your numbers to get personalized suggestions.

MISSOURI ARMY NATIONAL GUARD COMPARISON

What could Guard education programs change?

This uses published program limits and shows a range because eligibility, funding, school charges, service status, and other aid can change the final amount.

Planning estimates only. This website does not guarantee admission, aid, enlistment eligibility, education benefits, or funding. Always confirm school costs and benefit eligibility with official sources.

NEXT STEP

Want me to look at your plan with you?

Bring the numbers. We can talk through what is realistic and what still needs verified.

Talk to SGT Barks

College Reality Check

College Reality Check

1. Your school

Start here, transfer later

2. Money you expect to have

3. What do you expect to earn?

Want me to look at your plan with you?