<p>I don’t know your specific situation bleachedsnow, but don’t let this forum get you down. Debt is relative and very personal. 5K in debt is insurmountable to some, 50k others, 500K others. Risk is relative and personal. On this forum it seems everyone is getting financial aid and merit aid, leaving others wondering if anyone else actually pays for USC. People do pay for it. There is also a strong objection to taking on loans, but a singular message can’t be applied to everyone, it is just the loudest on here. Sounds like your parents are willing to pay the cost of a UC+. Same formula we put on ours, we are willing to pay 40k. Rest of it is his to figure out how to pay. Can we rescue him? Will we co-sign loans? Sure, but we want him to take some responsibility for choosing this school but also get the benefits it provides like you mentioned. Worse thing would be to spend 4 years at a school regardless of price stuck in some major you don’t like or having to stay in undergrad 6 years because changing majors costs that much in terms of time (and added dollars), and have no connections when you finish. If you want to go to a school like this and think the investment and/or debt is worth taking then that is your decision to make. If you are taking the plunge then do it and feel good about it - put everything you can into making it work. Good luck!</p>