I am in a high-property tax, high-cost area (Long Island), and also right on the border of being eligible for a tiny amount of aid or just missing it (we did not apply for aid for freshman year, so this is just a guess based on the NPC). I am a public school employee, and my husband earns less than I do.
But we have been able to pay for college by aggressively saving money. We have been putting the maximum allowable into the 529, as well as putting money into our retirement accounts, living for the future. This coming semester’s bill has been paid through my son’s own savings/outside scholarship and the 529 account.
May I recommend a home equity loan? We have set up a home equity line of credit in case we need to borrow money by the end of grad school, which looks likely. We would rather take on debt ourselves with a loan in our name than have our son start out life with any debt from a loan in his name.