That gross income figure applies only in the context of top private schools. UCs don't have enough funding for generous financial aid; I believe out of state st

That gross income figure applies only in the context of top private schools. UCs don't have enough funding for generous financial aid; I believe out of state students receive even less aid. This is what I was saying when I said that many top private colleges are more affordable than state colleges. Merit scholarships are in the context of alternatives to Ivy League educations. If you're not a star student, and are from a middle-class family, you should be going to your in-state state school anyway.