What are the realities of your family’s financial situation. Some parents who can afford fairly high tuition without it impacting on the parents’ or family’s quality of life or financial security never-the-less decide that a free or very low cost option makes more sense. Some parents really struggle to afford even to keep the electricity flowing. They simply don’t have any discretionary funds at all. The upshot may be the same-that is, they want their son/daughter to go for the least expensive option possible-but the differing financial situation of the families would impact on the advice I’d give to the student wanting a different school. Where do you view your parents on this sort of continuum?
Also choice of major-since some may make paying back loans easier than others. What do you want to study?