The U.S. News College Rankings Are Out. Cue the Rage and Obsession.

[yardwork]

8. If your state has good state universities, consider them.

I was fortunate to be able to attend a highly ranked private schools, for the simple reason that it was affordable at the time. It no longer is affordable.

My kids, however, attended excellent state universities. It simply didn't make sense for them to take out huge college loans and struggle with that debt.

As others say, if your income is low enough, your daughter might receive grants or scholarships. If they offer her loans, though, think carefully about the return on investment.