<p>I didn’t catch why UCSD is a good option for your son. Aren’t you a TX resident, and isn’t UCSD a California state school? OOS is high in CA and getting aid, as a transfer to boot, is a slim chance. It is also a big school, an objection you have to A&M.</p>
<p>Cpt, we’re Ca. residents actually, and UCSD would be a commuter school. I’m not sure how much aid and scholarship money is available there, though, for people of our income level. I think there are a number of scholarships that applicants are automatically considered for.</p>
<p>Pancaked, thank-you for the explanation. This is actually very encouraging! We have heard that Vanderbilt is very generous with f.aid and we have even heard through the grapevine that there might be a scholarship for children of employees of my husband’s company. I haven’t confirmed it, though, so it might not be true. 
At any rate, 6K a year would be fantastic, just fantastic, for a college education!</p>
<p>One other possibility is to look at colleges that offer cross registration at other schools. For instance, if your son went to MIT, he could take (liberal arts) courses at Wellesley.</p>
<p>Sbj, re phd plans – yes, on one hand grad school should make one wary on undergrad debt, but on the other it is often fully funded. If you said med school, law or an MBA, that a different and debt-ridden kettle of fish ;)</p>
<p>Re: music – if he’s thinking about minoring, then the limitation of conservatory/school of music is not in play because you can’t minor in performance at such schools via bmus. In that case, a solids arts music program in a city with lots of work, or top schools you’ve mentioned will likely fill the bill. Eg, Vandy would be attractive to me in that case given his contemporary violin work, etc.( som there is good but location obviously super, plus a great symphony to boot) – plus friend of mcson’s has had a similar fin aid package there as pancaked describes.</p>