Since 2008, Sallie Mae has surveyed American families with an undergraduate student about their attitudes toward college and how they paid for it. This report is an adjunct to Sallie Mae's "How America Pays for College" study. It explores how families of undergraduates perceive the value of a higher education, the factors that influence their choice of schools, and the steps they are taking to make college more affordable. Sallie Mae partnered with Ipsos, a global independent market research company, to conduct this study. The report reflects the results of online interviews Ipsos conducted with 957 parents of children ages 18-24 enrolled as undergraduate students and 950 undergraduate students ages 18-24. Findings indicate that: (1) Most families consider college a worthwhile investment; (2) Many families approach college without a complete plan; (3) There is a need for additional family education about the language used to explain the process of paying for college; (4) Most families use cost to narrow down their list of college choices; and (5) Families stretch to bring college costs within reach.