<p>FWIW, I'm an IS student who would have possibly gone to UNC with good merit aid; instead I got none, and got enough financial aid at Brown to make it almost the same exact price as UNC. They're definitely shooting themselves in the foot with regards to many in-state kids--I know several people who went to Duke because UNC offered them no money. I'm happy with my decision now (although a basketball team would be nice), but $$$ would have really made me think twice about it</p>
<p>Thanks for the thoughts. Brown is actually attractive to my daughter, but it may just be because of the Providence skyline shot on a TV show we used to watch. Well, that and the school's reputation of supporting women in science. Were you familiar with Providence before you decided to go there? How hard is it to get home to visit? Did you visit before you applied?
And on UNC: it may be the infusion of new money for the Morehead-Cain Scholarships will change things. I think for a few years, there just wasn't that much money to give out. They could pay for the top 1 percenters, but not top 5 percenters or 10 percenters. Many privates didn't have that problem, and were willing to help in exchange for geographic diversity. I'm just not sure my daughter understands all the logistical and emotional stuff of being very far away. Or maybe those are just my issues.</p>