i have run the COA for all of the reach schools on my list and am currently looking into merit aid some of my target and safeties offer. i have also used the fafsa4caster to calculate my expected contribution.
as i have said to other commenters, i have personal reasons for not wanting to attend schools not in the NE. in state schools do not offer environments i know i will be comfortable in, especially seeing Rutgers and their inability to handle anything related to covid.