It isn’t even if they can afford it, it is if they see the value in spending $120-$200K over your in-state option. Increasingly the answer is no. Maybe that money would be better used for graduate school, or for life expenses, for your future kids education, etc.
PhD programs in engineering are usually funded through research and teaching stipends
Master programs are often paid for by an employer.
Some of us feel that spending money on undergrad is worthwhile. I think it’s totally up to his parents, and you and I are certainly in no position to overrule them either way.
I paid full price for a private, but Wisconsin, Michigan, Delaware, Pitt, Ohio State, McGill and Toronto were all OOS publics that were on my kids radar at one point or another. Both Ds applied to Wisconsin OOS. I would have gladly paid if they preferred those.
@vizual dreamer36
If I were you I’d put more privates on my list. You are more likely to get merit money from a private than an OOS public. And most big publics are going to be failry similar anyway. That said, sticker price on OOS publics vary quite a bit so if you do have to pay full fare, I think UWash is cheaper than UCSD.
UCSD is a good engineering school, but they only admit to the major and most are impacted. That would be a reach. (only for engineering.)
Listen to @carachel2 You need to sit with your folks and really ask them if they can (or want to) write a 60k check every year for the next 4 years without blinking. Otherwise, you have good enough stats to find a school, in state or private, that will give you some dough. And try to bump up the SAT or take ACT. The higher your stats the more likely you will get some money.