I don’t believe ASU offers WUE in Tempe - but I put the #s above - you’d get $16.5K off (I believe) vs. a tuition room and board of $52K - so putting you under $40K.
Thanks for the clarity on OSU. I think because of sports (since you note it later), it’s what I think of when you say OSU.
It’s very telling that you’ve placed Oregon State in some type of value proposition - because it can help you eliminate unnecessary apps - i.e. I’d choose OSU over that school.
The gift of Alabama is if they’re still awarding the National Hispanic Recognition which would be 4 years free tuition and a year of housing. If that’s not appealing or overall under $20K and you’d take Oregon State full pay over it, then absolutely remove it. It is a long way from home.
While I appreciate your perspective on sports at Alabama, I would say that if it bothers you because it’s got such an emphasis on sports, then I’d remove most of your public school list. It’s a big flagship in a big league that is the envy of every school. It’s focus is likely no different than schools like UCLA, UIUC, UF, UMN, and others. It’s execution is far better - but make no mistake, all schools, especially in big athletic conferences, are sports attached - including Oregon State which has a huge debt issue due to all the money they spent on facilities, not realizing the Pac 10 was going to leave them for big $$ with the Big 10. All large publics in big conferences are trying to become the next Bama, UGA, UF, etc.
There’s a reason they have, quantity wise, the most NMFs - and a state of the art engineering school and campus that’s like Disneyland - clean and beautiful. The buy kids like you in - over 1100 from CA, 1500 from IL, and nearly 2K from Texas. Oregon - not well represented - but I don’t think your academics would be diminished from other schools - and I don’t think your job outcomes would be either. My kid had 19 interviews and 5 offers by xmas - so I think a lot of things people perceive don’t translate to real life - across the country. But I do think if you like OSU, then eliminating any school you’d attend it over, side by side, is worth eliminating upfront to save time. But in the end, in most cases (a UIUC, U Mich, UCB in this case will likely be different) - a flagship is a flagship, etc.
UF is a large campus, small town - it’s national rep has grown in rankings although I’m not sure if most people see it. I think it’s no different than other big flagships - UGA, Bama, Oregon, Colorado, etc. but - it’s selectivity is certainly higher. Yes, sports rules there - but at any top SEC, ACC, Big 12, or Big 10 school it will. It’s why ADs are paid a king’s ransom as are the conference commissioners. I will say this - there are several rankings - not just US News - and UF seems to do well in all the rankings - so it’s certainly done a phenomenal job.
When you say how is campus (UF, SJSU, it’s hard to know - because it depends on what you want in a campus and surrounds - so it’s worth a trip if possible. For example, I prefer FSU’s campus (it’s more compact)…UF is larger.
NEU - I’d say no - and you wouldn’t necessarily have access to the classes you need in an alternate location - and getting to $45K is not going to happen.
btw - many schools will offer fee waivers. Get on their mailing lists - U Chicago is one - at least when my daughter was applying - if you did a FAFSA, you got an app waiver.
WUSTL - and we weren’t even interested although I signed her up for the list - sent a fee waiver - although they were just looking to milk app #s so they can have a higher rejection level.
SMU - and their Presidential - they had a fee waiver if you applied by Sept 30th.
W&L had a fee waiver.
Get on the email lists of any school that interests you…that will bring some. Sometimes, they’ll give you a waiver if you do an online session - Pitt did that.
I still think, UMN - if you like urban and surrounded by Fortune 500 companies - is a great merit school for you with a highly ranked program.
Good luck.