"Purdue University is touting its online calculator as a way for parents and students to learn how much financial aid they can expect," the Associated Press reports. "Colleges have long touted the average amount of aid awarded to students. But averages don't help individual families trying to find out exactly how much aid they can expect and how much they'll have to pay for college. The Purdue Financial Aid Estimator considers family finances, student academics and other factors before coming up with estimates on available grants, loans and scholarships. The system created last year replaces a paper process Purdue previously used."