Yeah, if cash is gonna be a serious issue (even with conversion from the Euro, where you're gonna kill it!), forget Stanford, Cal, USC or even FUCLA. Stick with a different UC school if you can, or a Cal State school if you must.
I'd look real hard at UC Santa Barbara if lifestyle is a big consideration for ya -- good enough school in a great location might be a nice balance for you. It's on Cali's central coast, about 1.5 hours north of LA and 4ish hours south of SF/Bay Area. Best of both worlds -- better weather than the Bay, less crowded and more green than LA. And they still rage pretty damn hard at Isla Vista...
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