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If your parents cannot afford the tuition, some schools will offer a good amount of financial aid, to the point where a merit scholarship is unnecessary. For example, Stanford charges no tuition for most families making under $100k/yr. There is no tuition, room and board, or book expenses for most families making under $60k/yr. I believe MIT has a similar policy for families making under $75k/yr. Both schools have a net price calculator, where you can get more specific details.</p>