I think it is a matter of the area in which you live and your background. We live in an area where publics are far more common. Most kids here want to stay in the south and we have plenty of big SEC schools to choose from. Secondly many parents of even high income families like the instate deal we have. Essentially many students get free tuition at any instate university or 80% of instate rates paid by the state’s lottery system.
Personally having attended a small liberal arts school I found it stifling and limited, so I have pushed for the big state publics where the offerings of majors seem limitless. Now where I grew up private was more common but thats the NE.
Basically we have all different thoughts on the matter.