Vote with your pocketbook. If you think the price is exorbitant, don’t pay it.
Might the the word “exorbitant” in the title.
Yes, I think that has been established. But she paid it anyway. So, economics 101 - there must have been value there. I=Most people, when they think a price is too high, will forego the purchase.
OP, next time consider a program like Summer@Brown as a backup. I’m fairly certain they have a $300 deposit and ample time to back out. This was a couple of years ago, so definitely check. Many others were/are in the $1,000 range.