<p>At “meets full need” schools your daughter will be expected to work during the school year/ over the summer to cover her personal expenses. This situation is doable for most. These schools will compute a family’s need/ EFC using their own formula. Princeton’s for example, is here: [Princeton</a> University | Princeton Financial Aid Estimator](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/admission/financialaid/estimator/]Princeton”>http://www.princeton.edu/admission/financialaid/estimator/) </p>
<p>Merit aid will reduce a student’s need before it reduces a family’s EFC.</p>
<p>Greyhound/ Flying/ Amtrak/ finding a ride home with a friend may be cheaper than car + gas + insurance + maintenance.</p>
<p>It is possible to save a lot of money buy buying used textbooks (online).</p>