<p>I love UVa, but it sounds like Florida would be the best choice for this student, under these circumstances. </p>
<p>To reinforce a point above, UVa has a loan cap for persons who have proven financial need. That means that after you reach a certain level of federal student loans (I think around 26K?), they intend to increase the AccessUVa aid that is offered. For most students with need, that happens in their eighth semester. </p>
<p>As I understand it, if you take more than 8 semesters to graduate, you shouldn’t expect AccessUVa aid for it. Also, if you miss the application deadlines, they say you could be ineligible for aid.</p>
<p>I don’t agree with the few colleges that have a no loan policy. A student should pay for a share of their costs and should have some “skin in the game.” The goal is to avoid excessive loan debt, particularly to avoid the need for much more expensive private loans.</p>