The honors program at SC, Clemson, FSU, Alabama

all mean you go to college there for free. They recruit the hell out of the top high schools in north Atlanta -- where my kids all went (one graduating this year).

For my oldest, she went to Clemson and got 7k per year -- but was not honors (she wrongly didn't apply for it -- or she would have gone for free). She was offered honors at Alabama and South Carolina (free).

My second daughter wasn't as elite a student, but still was offered in state at Alabama and over 50% at South Carolina. She went to Florida State -- I am a FL resident, so in state there is nearly free.

My youngest is graduating this year. Alabama sent her a letter guaranteeing she would go there for free if she'd apply. LSU (free). FSU (free). SC (Free). She did not apply to Clemson. She's not going to any of them -- they all were safety schools for her, but Alabama is pulling a pile here simply because it is free to go there and UGA can't take enough GA students --- its free to go to college in Georgia if you are a B student or above, so nearly impossible for all of them to get into UGA.

FYI -- St. Mary's isn't what it used to be either. They now have engineering and other majors jointly with ND (where you overtly take your final 3 years entirely at ND -- but graduate from St. Marys). They offered daughter two 25k per year (partly to play tennis) and daughter three just got offered 28k per year to go there.