College costs are far from straightforward. For the vast majority of students attending four-year private colleges, the amount they pay is not the sticker price. Rather, colleges offer many different types of financial aid. But it's hard for families to figure out beforehand how much aid they're likely to receive.

What are the problems that arise from the opacity of college costs for families? And for colleges and universities? What are some reasonable plans to make college more affordable? Phillip Levine joins EconoFact Chats to discuss these issues.

Phil is the Katharine Coman and A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics at Wellesley College.