This story was originally published on Sept.13, 2018.

The college application process – when you have to decipher financial aid forms, search for scholarships, and take standardized tests – is stressful for families. With news of the biggest college admissions scandal breaking this week, many students and parents across the country are no doubt even more disheartened.

On average, students apply to four schools and get accepted to three, according to a study from Niche.com. This year, 19.9 million students are enrolled in a college or university.

To help, Yahoo Finance teamed up with college experts Andrew Elwell of the College Board, Brooke Hanson of Supertutor TV, and Angela Howze of Financial Aid Strategist to answer your questions about college admissions and help you tackle your applications.

Here are four questions you should think about when planning your admissions strategy:

• How should I pick a school to apply to?

Deciding how many colleges to apply to can add to an already stressful process. According to Hanson, a tutor and founder of standardized test prep and tutoring website Supertutor TV, it’s important to have a strategy.

“Make sure you hedge your bets,” Hanson says. “College admissions are very selective, so find a backup school that has rolling admissions, where the sooner you apply, the sooner you find out and as long as you get in somewhere, you’ll be in a better position.”

Elwell recommends considering the cost of your school as a starting-off point of narrowing down your list.

“A good thing to keep in mind when you’re looking at schools is the net price: this is the difference between a college’s published price on its website and the different types of financial aid you might be eligible for,” he says.

Using a net price calculator can help you decide if a school is a good financial fit for you and your family.

• How can I pay for it?

Actually affording college is a huge concern for many families: per year, the average yearly cost for a private school is $32,410, and $23,890 for a state school, according to the College Board. That’s why you need to fill out the FAFSA form and use a tool like FAFSA 4caster to see how much aid you’ll be eligible for, says Howze, author of “Breaking Free From Financial Aid Prison.” The more information you have ahead of time, the more knowledgeable you’ll be on what you need to contribute.

If you’re shooting for a prestigious school and hoping to get financial aid, Hanson has good news.

“The schools that are the hardest to get into typically have the highest aid packages,” she says. “If you’re in a position where you have very competitive grades and very competitive scores, don’t hold yourself back. Apply and see what you get.”