<p>Of course no school is going to make an exception for a wealthy kid because the divorce agreement only calls for him to pay X, nor should they. This idea that every child deserves to go to the finest college (at a cost to others) is alive and well but makes no more sense than that every child deserves a Mercedes because it's among the finest cars.</p>
<p>For better or worse, kids applying to college have to live with their parent's means and values. They have had to live with them all of their lives. The child of the wealthy dad probably got to live in nice homes in good neighborhoods and go to wonderful ECs and summer programs. The kid who qualifies for full aid probably did not have those benefits growing up. We all live with different advantages and lack there of.</p>