<p>Penn State costs $25k with room and board, and offers very little financial aid for in state students. </p>
<p>Holding all else equal, it is better to have parents who can’t pay, versus won’t pay. However, very rarely is “all else” equal. </p>
<p>Low income students have the opportunity to apply to the Questbridge program, and are eligible for federal work study and pell grants. </p>
<p>[Project</a> on Student Debt: What’s the Bottom Line?](<a href=“http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/ncoa_chart.php]Project”>http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/ncoa_chart.php) lists schools who do their best to be affordable to low income students.</p>
<p>Have you thought about the service academies for nuclear engineering?</p>