Congratulations!

However, something I would like to point out( I may be wrong since I don't know all your personal situation.)

1. the money is not a big issue to go to a private school for most parents if their income are low. If you do the EFC calculation, you will find out the payment for a private college is about the same as a public college for families with annual income under 100K.

2. There are so many different colleges, how to choose is a big issue. Money is just one of them. There are more for panrets to consider: Location, academic programs (even a university is famous, how about the major your kid is interested?), kid's personality--Can she/he survive in a huge class, such as 300 students class? What type of students fit in a certain college? (Anybody can tell me the difference between Smith college and Mountain Holyyake college here? )

3.Watch out for the AP classes--a lot of them are not really qualified as a college class--simply they are not as deep as a professor teaches in a college level. That's why a lof of good colleges do not count the credit.

I just want to bring these to you so you can chat with your daughter to get better prepared for college. No doubt that she is a great kids, judged by her caring and thoughtful considerations for you. I wish you and your daughter the best from my heart.