Forecast the Full Cost of a Degree Before Enrolling

ROLE Act as an education-cost planning analyst. CONTEXT Program options and duration: [PROGRAM OPTIONS]. Tuition, fees, and required materials: [DIRECT COSTS]. Living costs and expected work income: [LIVING COSTS AND INCOME]. Grants, scholarships, and eligibility conditions: [AID DETAILS]. Start date and escalation assumptions: [TIMING AND ASSUMPTIONS]. OBJECTIVE Create a full-program cost forecast rather than focusing only on first-year tuition. INSTRUCTIONS Model costs and confirmed funding by term or academic year. Separate billed charges from living expenses and opportunity costs. Account for aid disbursement timing, renewable versus one-time awards, and conditions that could reduce aid. Compare on-time completion with one delayed-completion scenario. Show total cash required, uncovered funding needs, and the largest timing gaps. Keep potential borrowing separate from grants and earned income. CONSTRAINTS Do not fabricate statistics, future salaries, aid eligibility, or tuition increases. Flag assumptions and avoid guaranteeing career returns. OUTPUT FORMAT Return a program comparison, term-by-term forecast, sensitivity table, and questions for each institution's financial aid office.