There really is a "game" to- it, isn't there? I was so naive entering college as a first-generation college student. My high-school was on a 12 point grading system which doesn't fairly match up to a 4.0 especially with so many of the kids entering school who were getting 5's due to Honor's classses. But once I started college I learned how to play and was able to get my master's for free by going to a smaller school with an excellent clinical program. I work alongside colleagues who paid hundreds of thousands at elite private schools (there are several in the area). They make the same "helping field" salary as I do - minus the $500 monthly student loan.
I plan to help my kids to a well-planned cost benefit analysis of their secondary education starting with opportunities like you mentioned above.
