could you write an appeal for more aid? my college didn’t meet my efc and so it was advised by an admissions rep to write an appeal since in April more money is available since that’s when people start committing and colleges get a better idea of what their finances look like.
I would get in contact with your admissions rep (this would be with your smaller private school) and see if you can get more aid from them, then you wouldn’t have to borrow so much.
I think the smaller school seems to be a better fit for you, so I hope you can get more aid.