Originally Posted by DAD22
I honestly assumed that acceptance was NEVER based on ability to pay. That seemed to be a completely separate issue to me.

They are. Just because a student gets accepted, doesn't mean the door is opened. There's still the issue of being able to pay for it.

Originally Posted by DAD22
Luckily, I had heard that you should always apply to a "stretch" school, so I did. Then my stretch school gave me a grant that was about the same as tuition. I don't think there was a cheaper option for me. I never consulted the school guidance counselor for anything.

Well, if you know one college financing success story, you know one.