^ and also, if she does well (test scores, 4-8 APs or equivalent) she can apply to colleges OOS that have merit and will bring costs roughly to the level of instate. That can be a powerful motivator for kids. In addition, knowing of the oos options creates a valve for Texas kids - instate and OOS privates plus OOS publics with merit don’t care if you’re top 7% :). So, as long as they do well, high achieving students have choices even if they don’t ‘game the rankings’.
The key is to plan.
In that respect, first gen kids are behind because they ndont know what they don’t know’… But all parents reading cc are way ahead.