It hurt me while I was in school in the late 80s. I applied early decision to CMU, and was accepted. My parents were older, and very financially conservative,

It hurt me while I was in school in the late 80s. I applied early decision to CMU, and was accepted. My parents were older, and very financially conservative, and were not high income. When I got the aid package, I found out that I qualified for basically 0 aid, and my parents were expected to re-mortgage their modest house to pay for my education (which I would not have asked them to do). I withdrew and attended a state school where I got a merit scholarship (but had to start 1 semester late, due to early decision). It seems like home equity does not count these days, which is an improvement I guess.