One caveat here - it depends on what is meant by “upper middle class.” At some selective private schools, students with annual family incomes up to $200k may qualify for at least some need-based aid, and even a bit higher if other children in the family are also in college. This is obviously dependent upon other factors as well - families with large trust funds or extensive investments likely won’t be eligible. But OP should check with parents and find out more about their income and resources. When I started researching colleges, I anticipated that my family would be out of luck on financial aid - but NPCs tell me that my kid could expect need-based awards ranging from $20k to as much as $60k if admitted at Ivies.
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