<p>If you have great stats and achievements, especially if you’re from a country that sends few applicants, go ahead and try. You would have been far better off just needing $9K thought. Also, keep in mind it’s what the colleges think you can pay, not what your parents think. Most Americans are shocked by what colleges think they can afford, but internationals even more so because college is so much cheaper in most places. US colleges expect significant lifestyle sacrifices to pay for college. So run some calculators to see what these schools will expec.</p>