Nonprofit helps prep for costs of college

University students and their parents may soon have help with the cost of higher education.

A new nonprofit organization, Americans for Affordable College Costs, aims to educate university students and their parents on how to financially prepare for or reduce the cost of attending college.

According to The Wall Street Journal, in 2014 the average graduate was $33,000 in student loan debt, making it the most indebted class ever.

AACC’s website stated that the organization can assist with such things as learning how to budget, understanding student loans, and eliminating some of the common mistakes many college students make.

James A. Boyle, executive director of the AACC, said in a press release that the AACC “will be an important new information source and voice for parents and students” and will “fight for their rights on key issues.”

Some of the key issues include making the tuition tax deduction permanent and lobbying against education budget cuts from the government.

According to the organization’s website, AACC provides information that is “prepared by experts in higher education, consumer rights and personal finance.”

The information is presented “through (their) website and through newsletters, blogs, seminars, videos, webcasts, telephone town hall meetings, news releases to local and national media and by informing local, state and national government leaders about policies and opportunities to reduce the skyrocketing costs of college.”

Dillon Davis, a senior math education major from Jack, said that an organization like AACC would be a great benefit to Troy University students.

“Things like student loans and education expenses are major stresses for a lot of students,” Davis said. “Anybody willing to help with those things would obviously be doing a service.”

Will Harwood, the media contact for AACC, was unavailable for comment.