<p>Definately read the thread by taxguy in the parents section of CC. Bottom line, unless you are wealthy, you have to ask a serious question: do I want to come out of college with so much debt that it prohibits my options post-status/prestige/ego/phantasy/rah-rah that the debt becomes a kind of ‘big brother’ that manages the next decade or so of your life. Purchase quality goods, but do not assume that brand ID is highly correlated with quality or that brand ID will pay for itself over the long run. Four years from now you will need money. That is the only thing that we all know with certainty.</p>