<p>Ok this is the complete opposite of what everyone else is telling you, but your best option is to go the the very best private school you can get into. Most of the top-tier private schools have loan free financial aid available, especially if you come from a low income family. I’m kind of in the same predicament as you, and I’m trying to go to Vanderbilt. They guarantee to meet 100% of your need with loan-free aid, so basically, if you get in, you don’t have to worry about money.</p>
<p>This isn’t “opposite advice”. We don’t even know what her scores are going to be. She may not have the scores for Vandy or ivies.</p>
<p>We know that if she’s low income, she’d get great aid from schools like Vandy and ivies, but she doesn’t want to go far from home. That’s going to limit her to schools like Duke, UNC-CH, UVA, that meet need. And for other schools near her home, she’ll need merit scholarships to afford them.</p>