It’s that out of state and private college acceptances really mean nothing without financial aid offers 
Truth.
Well, they mean you’re good enough to get in. That’s something. They just don’t mean you can go, unfortunately.
True, I guess. I wish I’d known this when I spent about $300 applying to colleges, haha
True (UC system, I’m looking at you).
That’s the biggest value in being competitive for the very top schools, methinks: the finaid packages. On the bright side, there are so many brilliant students unable to go private or OOS for college that they’re staying in-state and making state schools a great place for a top student to be.