<p>Both of my kids (boy-girl twins) are going to UMass Amherst next year - thankfully! - as it was the only affordable option. Both of them sneered at it for most of the last year (their HS is a high-achieving one with lots of two-professional parents) and my daughter said she was “embarrassed” to tell her friends where she might end up. They applied to (and got into) several private or OOS colleges but not nearly enough financial aid to close the gap. There was a fair amount of wailing from my D (“I didn’t know we were so POOR!”) etc. but I took her for a couple of repeat visits to the campus (looked MUCH better in the spring) and met with faculty and students in the English and Theater depts. and I think that helped some. Also a good friend of hers is going to nearby Mt. Holyoke. My son is actually very fired up about UMass, after getting over Indiana’s beautiful campus. I think it will be fine.</p>