When comparing schools, it's important to compare apples to apples.

Make a spreadsheet of the cost of attendance for each university you are considering. Penn State's cost of attendance can be found on our tuition and fees schedules page. Other universities will list cost of attendance on their websites. Add up any aid that you are offered and subtract that number from the cost of attendance. Remember that scholarships and grants do not need to be repaid, but loans do (with interest). 

College cost comparison

Expenses
  University A University B
Tuition and Fees $15,000 $35,000
Housing and Food $10,000 $10,000
Total Expenses $25,000 $45,000
Financial Aid
  University A University B
Scholarships $2,500 $17,500
Grants $5,000 $5,000
Loans $5,500 $5,500
Total Aid $13,000 $28,000
Out-of-Pocket Cost
  University A University B
Expenses $25,000 $45,000
Financial Aid - $13,000 - $28,000
Total Out-of-Pocket Cost $12,000 $17,000