“how expensive private universities have become”
Part of that is because many students are charged top dollar so many others can pay comparatively little.
William Walker the 3rd might pay $50,000/year so Bob Bad Background can pay $7,000/year.
In-state schools are running between $20-30,000 a year. Room and Board can be $8-18,000 a year depending on the college and area of the country. Some privates have hit $80,000 this year, with the expectation that in a decade it will top $100,000. That’s crazy.
If you kid has good grades and decent test scores there are some schools that will give scholarships for that. But test optional may kill that golden goose in the next few years.