@cupcakemuffins - thanks - that is an important point -interestingly NMS didn’t garner full ride in my state (about 75% total TRB). Have receive some unsolicated invites with offer of full ride from some other oos state schools and am taking a closer look now.
You’re right about increasing focus on need aid (like this weeks USC story free tuition for those unde $80k) Unfortunately this trend squeezes out the middle and mostly limits top tier schools to the elite and the impoverished (unless you want to pay $150k out of pocket over 4 years). Schools have gotten really good at pricing - then discouting (xyz $30k merit award) their total costs so the final sticker is in mid 30’s. Tried NPCs at about a dozen oos colleges this winter an amazing how they all came within a few thousand$$$ of each other between $30-$40k. Those college administrators are a shrewd bunch.