<p>ssmom: Don't allow the pricetag to be a deterrent. We are in the same boat as you ie...solidly middle class and not likely to get any need based FA. My girls are interested in a variety of schools from the 42,000 range down to state schools which are, on paper much more affordable. </p>
<p>I suggest doing the Peterson's college search and comparing the schools. Make sure you look at the Comprehensive costs which include tuition, housing and fees, but more importantly look at the "average indebtedness upon graduation" figures. That gives you an idea of how much aid the school provides.</p>
<p>To give you an idea, Pomona College costs in the 40,000 range. About twice what it costs at the averagae University of California campus. However, one of my colleagues has a son and a daughter who have attended there for less than it would have cost them to attend a state funded UC campus.</p>
<p>Private schools often have enormous endowments which allow them to offer really nice FA packages to accepted students. We told our girls that they can apply wherever but that that making it affordable is their job. Meaning, they have to hustle up the scholarship dough and get the grades and scores which will mean they can go where they want to. Also, because colleges want a the %age of accepted students who actually attend to be high, once they accept you they often do their best to make it as affordable as possible.</p>
<p>We have two kinds of "Reach" schools, academic and financial. </p>
<p>Also, our little HS (public< 500 students) recently graduated a girl w/ a 3.7 and good but not fabulous SAT scores. She ended up receiving over 50,000 in scolarship money for her freshman year because she really worked at it. $$ is out there.</p>