Obviously,thousands of high achieving students every year pick the option to pay the 100,000 to go to an elite school.Most of those students could opt to get full tuition or very large merit aid from schools that they/parents feel are not the perfect fit either academically or culturally. Many of us here do not select to have our children go to a CC then transfer into a 4 yr program. That too some would say is a waste of tuition money. Not sure of the students major or career choice but that IMHO is really the most important fact in making the college choice.
Best of luck