More than half a decade after the economic recession hit, students are “savvier shoppers” than ever before, according to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program’s (CIRP) Freshmen Survey. The annual survey is administered through the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) and captures feedback from hundreds of thousands of students entering two- and four-year colleges across the country. Published annually in “The American Freshman,” the results from these surveys continue to provide a comprehensive portrait of the changing character of entering students and American society at large.

While the U.S. is officially in “recovery” mode, seven in 10 new freshmen say the economy influenced their college choice. This sentiment has grown steadily since 2010, when the recession was declared over. These findings show that record numbers of new students cite cost and financial aid as big factors in deciding where to go to school.

“Students are becoming savvier shoppers,” CIRP Interim Research Director Kevin Eagan tells the Chronicle of Higher Education. Now more than ever, they’re “searching for the best package … the best deal.”

For students who are the first in their families to attend college, affordability is an even more crucial factor, with nearly two-thirds saying financial aid was “very important.” These students “tend to be a bit more skeptical of relying so heavily on loans,” says Mr. Eagan.

Affordable, quality classes are right around the corner at Suffolk, along with scholarships, grants and financial literacy services, as well as help applying for federal financial aid.