> The private schools that are prestigious (i.e. highly selective) have substantial aid making them very cheap for families who earn under a certain amount. Ha

> The private schools that are prestigious (i.e. highly selective) have substantial aid making them very cheap for families who earn under a certain amount. Have you attended all of the prestigious institutions while needing financial aid? I am familiar with a handful of the programs having been through one and worked with several people that were in others. Some schools are doing a great job enacting need blind admission, others are not. We are not at a point where the most prestigious schools are "very cheap" to any families* except the wealthiest and the poorest (where it definitely isn't very cheap to afford plane tickets, food with the dining hall shut down, clothing so you don't stick out as being poor, etc.) * The one exception I'm confident of is Princeton, I've heard their need blind approach is actually well implemented and I've known more than one person that graduated debt free.