If you are interested in, for example, colleges in Massachusetts offering Criminal Justice, consider private colleges such as Stonehill College and Northeastern University as well as Westfield State. Compare the aid awards, and then make the decision as a family. It's better to explore all options than to regret what might have been. It is true that financial aid from the federal government is largely limited to loans and a job on campus for most middle-class students who qualify. At private colleges, though, federal aid is typically only a small part of total aid available.
Private colleges use money from their endowment to fund grants.
Grants are outright gifts of money, based on your financial need. Since grants are based on need, many students are eligible to varying extents. The more a school wants a student, all other things being equal, the more generous the aid package will be. Target a place where you'll be in the top 25 percent of entering freshman academically. Money will likely follow.