<p>Most people who end up as self-employed consultants didn’t plan on it prior to college. It’s generally not something you do right out of college, but down the line when you have some useful experience. Often you’re being hired by someone who doesn’t have the knowledge to judge your skills in the area you are consulting in, so having a recognizable “awe-inspiring” college name on the resume can actually impact clients quiet a lot. </p>
<p>Anyhow, I’m not saying that people should pick a college because of that, I was refuting the statement that having a big name on your resume is useless after you get your first job. </p>
<p>For the OP, the top schools do tend to give excellent need-based financial aid. If the OP’s parents have money and just don’t want to spend it on school, that doesn’t help, but otherwise they may find it will cost a lot less than they expected. Worth an application, in any case.</p>