<p>Why would you need to be taking 450,000 of loans to cover that? If you are making enough money to not be considered for FA, then your family should be able to afford it without excessive borrowing. If you can’t afford such a large amount without loans, then you should be receiving FA from both Northwestern and MIT. Simply stated, there is no way Northwestern or MIT could determine your aid to be 0 if you cannot afford a single cent of their tuition, housing, or other fees.</p>
<p>I’m not terribly impressed with the help given to the OP. Don’t scare them into thinking they will have so much debt without making them consider need-based aid or their family’s financial situation and consequent ability to pay.</p>