<p>At least for me, the decision between “dream” school and saving money came down to whether or not I would really be happy at my state school. Now, to be fair, I’m from a much smaller state than California and the feel of my instate school is very different than that of UCSB, but I can afford Barnard, and though it will be a stretch I realize that life really is short, and I’d rather spend the next four years happy than hating my life at a school I can afford more comfortably. I think balancing these factors is very personal, and unfortunately, no one can do it for you, but I do wish you the best of luck!!</p>