<p>I wonder if the OP started this thread to help him with his college essay on college costs…see his other threads.</p>
<p>We live in a high SES area as well. And we are surrounded by expensive private universities, including the Ivy League Schools, and MIT. Even with that, students with stats that are competitve for admission to these top 20 schools…who would receive not a nickel of need based aid, are applying to schools where their impressive stats would garner merit aid.</p>
<p>Lots of discussion about that over in the financial aid forum here on CC.</p>
<p>Some higher income families can afford the $60,000 plus per year costs to attend these top schools without aid. Others simply cannot. </p>
<p>I don’t think there is a simple answer to the OP’s question…at all.</p>