<p>In this case, you can have your cake and eat it too, meaning you can go and not be a burden to your family. Taking out a Stafford loan (if nothing else is available) in order to cover that $3200 won’t bury you in debt by the time you’re finished. This is an affordable dream. You might have to spend a little extra the first winter equipping yourself for Northeastern winters, so budget accordingly. </p>
<p>(full disclosure: I’m a biased poster with a daughter at Tufts. But I’d never advise someone to attend at the cost of taking on massive debt.)</p>