<p>I think it depends on the student’s stats, the family EFC, and the colleges. My son was accepted to a couple of SUNYs NOT in commuting distance. Our EFC is just under $5k. We got no merit aid from the SUNYs, just a few hundred for TAP and maybe $1200 for Pell. It would cost us about $20k for him to attend. A NYS private college, also not within commuting distance, gave him a renewable merit award that brought the yearly cost down to what the SUNYs would’ve cost us. Check for automatic scholarships at the schools your child is interested in, because they do help. I don’t think many schools meet full need, though, so you’ll have to figure out how to cover the gap. You can also save money on the undergrad degree if your child gets accepted into one of the 3+2 programs. The private school my son was accepted to has guaranteed admission to Columbia for his major. Assuming he was certain about his choice of major (he’s not), and was able to finish it in 3 years, the total cost for the private would be $20k less than the SUNY. You really have to examine all the pieces and know what your options are. And run those net price calculators.</p>