Thank you for the great responses! Let me answer a few questions to clarify.
@Mwfan1921 and @blossom - so twins will go in 2024. I am doing a dry run of the process this year, since next October its time to fill the CSS/FASFA.
I did fill the net-price-calculator for all the schools and we did get some aid. EFC around 45-50k per kid (total $100k/year) - but I also heard rentals make the EFC unreliable as some others had mentioned.
@MMRose - For a clearer picture. Income/w2: 250k and rental income: 35k (after mortgage/tax & minor expenses). So overall $285k. The Net Price calculator’s did show aid even after adding all the rental assets, since its 2 kids at the same time.
The calculator treats rentals just like a cash account by asking the for the remaining mortgage and value of the property.
I appreciate the suggestion to look outside the “arms-race” and make a list of “good” schools that consider merit. I appreciate any suggestions based on the following profile.
The twins profile is as follows. SAT low 1500’s (after first try), GPA 4, lots of AP classes to push themselves, inter-school level track stars, some published research.
Regarding the budget, thinking of $50k/kid including housing, meals, etc - that runs a yearly total of $100k plus may be 5k for misc.
$420k for 4yrs, that’s still a good penny. We are quite determined to get them to graduate without any loans.
Thank you all!