T20 or Financial/Mental Ease

This is probably going to sound a bit all over the place, but I’d really appreciate some outside perspective.
My parents immigrated to the U.S. from the Middle East, and as the oldest, I’ve always felt a strong pressure to do well and make them proud academically. In high school I graduated with a 3.5 GPA, which wasn’t enough for the top schools I originally aimed for, so I went the community college route with the goal of transferring. I worked hard there and ended up with a 3.9 GPA, and I did manage to transfer.
I was accepted into UMich (out-of-state, T20) and also UIUC. At UMich, after grants, my tuition is about $28K, and with housing and living costs it comes out to roughly $38K per year. I know that’s relatively “cheap” for OOS since sticker price is around $68K tuition alone, but it’s still a lot. To make it work, I’d likely need to work close to full time during the school year (my parents are helping some, but not fully covering everything, and I’m trying to avoid loans).
At UIUC, on the other hand, my tuition is essentially $0 (I’d even get a small refund), and my parents have already saved money for my apartment there. I’d still work, but I wouldn’t be under nearly the same financial pressure, which would mean more time to focus on school, extracurriculars, and actually enjoying college life.
The issue is I feel really torn. I know, logically, UIUC is the smarter financial choice and probably the healthier one overall. But emotionally, it hurts a lot to walk away from UMich because it felt like a dream school and a big “I made it” moment for me and my family. I also worry that choosing UIUC feels like I’m letting that go or “downgrading,” even though I know that’s not necessarily true.
I guess I’m just looking for honest advice or perspective from people who’ve been in similar situations. I’m only 20 and trying to make a decision that affects a huge part of my life, and I don’t want to get stuck making a choice based purely on pride or guilt.
Any thoughts would really help.