THE DEAN’S DESK
Beyond The Net Price Calculator
What Middle-Income Families Need to Know Before Their Student Applies
A free 60-minute masterclass with
Christina Lopez,
Former Dean of Enrollment Management
You ran the net price calculator. You got a number.
But is that number real?
Net price calculators don't always estimate merit aid, may use outdated data, and can't accurately model complex family finances. At private four-year colleges, research shows the typical estimate can be off by $11,000 per year or more*
And most families don't find out until April of senior year, when the options are: pay it, appeal with no leverage, or start over.
In this free masterclass, you'll learn why the system works the way it does, what actually determines your family's cost at any school, and what you can do about it before applications go in.
*Based on a 2021 peer-reviewed study of net price calculator accuracy at private four-year institutions (Anthony & Page, Education Finance and Policy).
In 60 minutes, you'll learn:
Why sticker price and net price are not the same thing, and why the gap varies wildly by school
That there are two completely different financial aid formulas, and which one a school uses changes what you pay
How merit aid actually works
Why families with financial complexity get the most inaccurate calculator estimates
When your family's financial planning window actually opens, and why most families miss it
This masterclass is for you if:
✅ College is a few years away and you want to understand the financial side before your student starts applying
✅ You've done some research but the more you read, the more confusing it gets
✅ You don't want to be caught off guard when the financial aid letters arrive
You don't need any prior knowledge of financial aid to attend.
About Your Host
Christina spent 12 years in enrollment management leadership at Barnard College, where she chaired admission committees, signed admit letters, and set institutional financial aid strategy. She has 20 years of experience in college admissions and financial aid, including roles at NYU, and currently reads applications for UC Berkeley.
She built The Dean's Desk to give middle-income families the insider knowledge they need to make informed college financial decisions — before applications go in, when they still have the most control in the process.
Christina Lopez
The Details
WHEN
Fridays
TIME
8:00PM EST
LOCATION
Live on Zoom
DURATION
60 min
Register now and you'll receive a confirmation email with your Zoom link.