教育投资是父母给的最好的礼物, But ...

I let my daughter to choose to go to UC Berkley or one of top private schools: I pay about the same amount (calculated from EFC). Based on the financial as well as academic considerations I recommended Berkley and she kind of reluctantly accepted.

Now 4 years later she knew she made a good choice - she saved about 10w student loan and she is now a graduate student in a top IVY school.