<p>You can also start at the ‘lesser’ college and transfer later. I know many very good students who don’t have the money who wen to (gasp) community colleges for the 1st year or two. Then they transferred to good schools and finished up. Their BS still says graduate of ‘good school’. No asterisk for the early years. If they can do that, you can go to a lower ranked school and do well overall. It is more about doing well wherever you end up.</p>
<p>Do the math. Compare salaries for grads in your major from the dream school and grads from your prospective reality school. Then see how many years it would take to pay back the loans with the difference. If it is anything like this exercise we did with my son, the picture will become crystal clear.</p>