<p>*Of course there are exceptional schools outside of the Northeast. We are limited for many reasons, including lacking the “cabbage” to transport and visit. *</p>
<p>I understand… :)</p>
<p>However, if a school was within all day’s drive and hotel stay and would give an ASSURED big scholarship to your D (such as free tuition) which would cut your EFC down to below $15k per year, wouldn’t that be worth a trip to visit? </p>
<p>Actually, if a school could give your child free tuition, and your child took out a $5500 per year student loan, your parent contribution could be less than $10k per year!!! How does that sound!</p>
<p>Apologies for being so blunt, but if you can’t afford such a visit, how are you going to afford your $25k+ EFC each year ($100k for 4 years)? </p>
<p>I would think it would be worth the few hundred bucks in gas and cheap hotel to find out if my kid would like a school that would cut your EFC in half.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t recommend that for a school with competitive merit, but I would for schools that give assured HUGE merit for stats. A circle road trip that would include 2-3 of those schools may have a huge return on initial investment. 
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<p>The problem that I see is this…there aren’t many big assured merit scholarships in the NE. NE schools seem to be more “need based”. </p>
<p>BTW…did your D make NMSF? (or did we ask that already?? LOL)</p>
<p>*but the “average loan” part does tell you something. *</p>
<p>It only tells you what the average federal student loans are. If the school gaps aid or the parents can’t afford their EFC, it doesn’t tell you if Plus loans have been taken to cover gaps or unaffordable EFCs. It also doesn’t tell you if private loans have been taken, if credit cards have been used, and/or if loans from relatives have taken place.</p>