It's been several years, but I remember haggling to get more scholarship funds for my kid when she went to Champlain. UVM ended up being more expensive, plus they insisted on making her live on campus, even though it was a half-hour commute. Even Champlain kept trying to push the on-campus life saying she'd miss out if she wasn't living in a dorm, but I fought back. It was absurd. It came down to Portland, Maine, or Champlain having equal tuition rates, and when I pointed out that she could easily leave the state, Champlain came up with extra grants.

Sometimes being willing to haggle pays off. Not that it should be that way, but it's what it takes.