<p>In total, (room and board, tuition, activities fee, etc.) Chicago is about $50k, which is comparable to its peer schools. (I checked out a few other schools’ tuition packages to verify: Columbia and Hopkins totals are both about $50k; Dartmouth and Carleton totals are about $45k). Elite schools have a lot of programs to support, so it makes sense that tuition is so high. Chicago has a lot going for it, but tuition-wise, it has a similar pricetag to its peers.</p>
<p>All of these schools have a base tuition of about $35k, the differences in cost are a result of the different costs of room and board and estimated other expenses.</p>
<p>You can check the differences out for yourself:
[Financial</a> Aid](<a href=“Home | Financial Aid”>Home | Financial Aid)
[Columbia</a> University Office of Undergraduate Admissions - Financial Aid](<a href=“http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/finaid/]Columbia”>http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/finaid/)
[JHU</a> Student Financial Services | Returning Undergraduates | Cost](<a href=“Student Financial Support | Johns Hopkins University”>Student Financial Support | Johns Hopkins University)
[Carleton</a> College: Admissions: Affording Carleton](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/overview/afford/]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/overview/afford/)
[Office</a> of College Aid](<a href=“http://collegeaid.uchicago.edu/cost.shtml]Office”>http://collegeaid.uchicago.edu/cost.shtml)</p>
<p>All of the schools I listed explicitly state that they are need-blind (i.e. your financial situation and your academic qualifications are evaluated separately), and all but Hopkins explicitly state that they meet 100% of what they determine is financial need. (Hopkins might also meet 100%, I just didn’t find it on the website).</p>
<p>What this means is that sometimes the schools with the higher sticker prices are also the most affordable.</p>