<p>About 30 years ago, I went to Boston College - $1,000 grant, $1,000 loan, $1,000 from my mother and a part-time job. It was then, as you described though it’s a lot nicer today than it was back then. Nice campus, nice professors, very nice students. Today, part-time jobs can’t make a dent in college expenses at private universities. If I had your decision to make, I would take the free ride.</p>
<p>Your parents say they are willing to pay $27,000 a year but that would have to be an incredible burden on them unless they have significant assets (one can have a lower middle class income with a lot of assets). To spend $27,000, you have to make more because taxes are taken out of your income.</p>
<p>The other thing is that you’d have to take out loans for the other half and you’d be saddled with your own large burden.</p>