It doesn’t matter how great a college is if you can’t pay for it. You won’t know exactly what a school will cost you until you receive an official financial aid package, but it’s easy to find what percentage of students receive aid and grants to attend.
The financial aid that students receive varies greatly among public and private institutions. Private colleges cost more to attend but generally have more money to offer than public universities. All school publish average aid packages including the amount of aid that comes from grants and loans. Watch out for heavy loan burdens—you don’t want to graduate with so much debt it will be difficult to pay back.
Colleges will generally try to meet you in the middle with financial aid—don’t expect to have your entire tuition paid for, but don’t allow a school to ask for more than you can realistically pay. Check out these college profiles to know whether you qualify for aid at your dream school and approximately how much grant aid you might be able to expect.