Regarding affording the cost of Rutgers (about $35k in state on campus, $29k of which is billed costs), it depends on whether $25k is the maximum parent contribution, or the maximum net price.
If $25k is the maximum parent contribution, the student could take a federal direct loan of $5.5k and find the other $4.5k from summer and part time work earnings, or living more frugally than the assumed budget for non-billed costs. That is kind of a stretch budget, but doable (and often what students from low income families must do). Of course, any merit scholarship (the larger the better) will make it more financially comfortable.
If $25k is the maximum net price (based on a maximum parent contribution of $15k or so), then Rutgers is unaffordable without sufficient merit scholarship money (at least $10k, preferably more).