<p>I’m extremely lucky in that both my dream schools are a) within reach and b) have great financial aid.</p>
<p>
Ditto. FAFSA EFC was met almost exactly with all grants (lower institutional parental contribution + workstudy + no loans). I am enormously grateful to both the college and to my parents.</p>
<p>I’m viewing the amount spent for college as an investment analogous to buying a car; I want something cheap and comfortable that gets me where I want to go. I have the luxury of being able to consider schools that are a bit more expensive than full-ride safeties, but I cling to money and will not let go easily.</p>
<p>My quasi-firm squeal point is ~$30k a year total, but I’d prefer <~$25k.</p>
<p>Fortunately, many of my favorite options are reasonably priced - Pitt, a few schools in Canada, and UMinn will hopefully all fit those price guidelines.</p>
<p>EDIT: While I don’t have any “dream school” per se, MIT is honestly the only expensive top school that I like anyway. I prefer the schools listed above to the other top privates on my list.</p>
<p>^^^
Have you gotten any merit scholarships? Are you a NMF?</p>
<p>Thankfully my parents have been saving up for a loong time so most schools are in reach but I’d LOVE buckets of merit aid (won’t get any need based aid as an intl).</p>
<p>Oh but my post-grad dream school is comparatively cheap, very close to home and HIGHLY prestigious. Hahah the only problem is getting in while competing against all the super-geniuses in my country.</p>
<p>I have a dream school that I adore, but it would have to be cheaper than my safety. I’m putting myself through and I’m not willing to go into debt. </p>
<p>besides, my safety’s growing on me…</p>
<p>Ha, this is the choice I’m making right now. At the moment I’m inclined to say nothing–it’s not really a question of money. It’s a question of whether Chicago is as right for me as I think it is, which I won’t know until we visit.</p>
<p>Funny how most of the time, what you can afford can be so satisfying.</p>
<p>If my dream school would leave me more than $25,000 in debt, I would pick the financial safety. This is assuming that I only had two choices. </p>
<p>For complex reasons, I want to be able to pay off my debt within three years of graduation, and $25,000 is a good cut-off point.</p>
<p>^^^
MissPick…that is a very good guideline… :)</p>
<p>Thanks, M2CK! I sure hope so. :)</p>
<p>
I’m a junior and probably will make NMF. No, I am not willing to live in Alabama (too hot) ;)</p>
<p>Depends on how much I have to pay for my tuition.</p>