How much does college cost?

This topic comes up in various threads, so let's put it in a single thread here.

What are all the factors that affect the price of college? Residency in a given state? Merit (measured how)? Need (assets and income -- which types)? What do we know about FAFSA, CSSprofile, and anything similar? How do colleges set their price for each individual? What do we know?

What has everyone discovered or experienced?

What's it like in other countries, and how is it for foreigners to those countries?

Inevitably, admissions criteria also become part of the conversation.

Let's discuss it all here.