2. ANDREW TOWNLEY

It came down to University of Pennsylvania and Cornell. Penn was offering grants worth more than $175,000 and Townley sent a letter to Cornell to see if they would match it. He didn't hear back by the deadline, and will go to Penn.

“I'm getting a good package and they are flexible with my dual degree plans,” he said. He will major in engineering and math.

3. ROCCO POLICARPO

“I've been wanting to go to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology” since eighth grade,” Policarpo said. “I walked through the campus and fell in love.”

He not only got in, but got a good scholarship package totalling more than $150,000. A member of the Oakcrest crew team, he plans to study chemical engineering and go into pharmaceutical research.

4. JOSEPH GRAUMANN

Graumann's first choice was Georgetown University, where he had attended a summer program. He applied early decision and got in. He applied to six other colleges in the hopes of being able to negotiate more money from Georgetown, but that did not happen. Despite a $100,000 offer from American University, he'll attend Georgetown, where he is getting a merit scholarship worth about $30,000. His goal is to study international law.

“I got better offers from other schools, but I didn't think they they would match the experience I would get at Georgetown,” he said. “But, if you have any money saved, you don't get financial aid.”

5. REBECCA TURYGEN

An athlete (soccer and softball) with good academic credentials, Turygen got decent offers from several schools, and finally chose LaSalle University because it offered the best financial package, a full scholarship worth more than $150,000. She plans to study law and hopes to become a U.S. Senator.

“I had a lot of offers from Division III schools,” she said. “But the scholarships were for academics. GW (George Washington University) was my dream, but it was way out of my financial ability.”

GW offered her $66,000 a year in scholarships, less than half of the LaSalle package.

6. BARBARA DUTRA

A native of Brasil, Dutra found the entire application and financial aid process a little overwhelming.

“I didn't know a lot about schools, so it was hard for me to pick where to apply,” she said.

She was accepted at Pepperdine, Virginia Tech and James Madison, and will attend Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and wants to study nutrition and sports medicine. She runs track and is eligible for $36,158 from Rutgers as an athletic scholarship.

7. MATTHEW McDEVITT

McDevitt knew with an average family income of less than $40,000 a year, he'd get pretty much a free ride with need-based aid no matter where he applied. So he aimed for the stars, applying to eight colleges including Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Drexel, Cornell, Dartmouth and the University of Pennsylvania. The acceptances to Penn, Cornell, Stanford and Dartmouth were a bit of a surprise, and McDevitt spent a frantic couple of weeks visiting before making a decision.

“I really never thought I'd get in to Penn or Stanford,” he said.

Drexel had offered him an $82,000 scholarship, but with need-based aid, he could afford to attend even the Ivies. Stanford, he said, just felt good.

“I really liked all the colleges,” he said. “But, I really, really, really liked Stanford. I know I can't come home often, but it was just amazing there.”

8. JOANNA COE

Her goal in life is to play professional golf, or be a golf instructor, and her college searches were based on finding a school with a golf team willing to give her a good scholarship. She found that in Rollins College in Florida, which is giving her a package worth more than $170,000.

“I had a lot of schools recruit me, I narrowed it down to three, then after visiting, only applied to Rollins,” she said. “It all came down to money.”

Coe said she met some student athletes who started searching in their sophomore year and by September of their senior year already knew where they were going.

“It all happens so fast in senior year,” she said. “And the coaches can't contact you earlier, but you can e-mail them.”

9. MARIA COSTANTINI

Costantini's choice of the University of Miami was a compromise of academics and finances. Miami is giving her $96,000, and while it will still cost her more than going to Rutgers or Clemson, where she was also accepted, Miami has more of the academic programs she wanted. She plans to major in neuroscience and wants to become a sports medicine doctor working for a professional sports team.

“I got into Boston and Northeastern, but it was just going to cost way too much money to go there,” she said.

10. JESSICA OKOTH

Okoth discovered Seton Hall by accident when she went there to visit someone. She has family members who work at the United Nations, and the diplomacy program at Seton Hall matched her desire to become a lawyer specializing in international diplomacy at the U.N. The college will give her almost $92,500, but that was not the reason she chose it. It just made the choice easier.

“It was a good package, and that was where I really wanted to go,” she said. “But, I should have applied to some harder schools. Students shouldn't be afraid to try for the Ivies.”