These are all good points Hart. I would just add something else that we deal with on a regular basis. If you go to a school in large part based on the financial aid - be sure to read all the fine print!! You could be pleasantly surprised and find that the four year scholarship includes money to study abroad one summer - or if you choose to be in a program like engineering that it can be very difficult to go abroad, some will allow you to use your abroad money for a summer of undergraduate research. A few schools will allow you to use all four years of scholarship even if you finish early - for example, use the fourth year to pay for the first year of pharmacy school or your MBA.
Some folks have been unpleasantly surprised to find strict rules on what gpa you must maintain every semester in order to keep your scholarship or that the school can reserve the right reevaluate your financial status - I.e. a merit scholarship to get you there and the amount reduced after your first year.
