<p>Snorlaz,</p>
<p>Usually when one is comparing privates to publics, you have to factor in the cost of living expenses, because some of the top privates require students to live on campus, and that is what is included in the $50K+ price. As a practical matter, and unlike public u’s, most of the students at the top privates cannot live at home because they are almost all from outside commuting distance, so the cost of room and board is always included in the quoted cost.</p>