Thanks @twoinanddone - @blossom - and @gluttonforstress I imagine that the process will become clearer as we move forward and talk with the GCs (who are very good). Daughter is an intense, academically-driven kid with a stellar GPA. She is a deep thinker and a bit shy. For her, college has the potential to be a peak intellectual experience, leading to more peak intellectual experiences in grad or professional school. I think that she would thrive best in a decent-sized LAC (2000+ undergrads) or a smaller quality university and that’s where we are focusing our energies. We have identified a number of options where merit scholarships that would cover partial tuition are a possibility. State U would not be the best fit; she tends to get lost in a crowd and it’s a bit too close to home (as in walking distance!)
I also paid my own way for undergrad and grad school so the sums involved these days are a bit mind-boggling.