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See, now here’s where I will take the other side of the argument. I get nervous when I see the words “we will make it work.” If that means burgers instead of filet mignon for a while, great. If it means really big debts, that’s something else. I’d give the same general takeaway: you should know at the time the list is being composed how the finances are going to work. It’s OK to include schools that won’t work unless there is merit (or need-based) aid, as long as the kid understands that limitation. What happens sometimes is sort of the flipside of getting the big merit scholarship and then having remorse: it’s getting into the “dream” reach school but without enough aid to make it financially prudent. This creates a temptation to make it work, even if it requires big risks or dire sacrifices (i.e., of retirement security). Now, coachc13, I’m not saying you did any of this–again, I say what I say because I’ve seen the phrase “we will make it work” too many times in contexts where too much debt was being assumed.</p>