Exactly. I’ve experienced gigantic lecture classes at a decently well regarded flagship. Let’s just say these classes were not taught by star faculty generating unrestrainable student enthusiasm. It was big droning lectures and multiple choice tests.
I was also a grad student at another flagship, this one quite well regarded. Our department had a Nobel prize winner (since retired.) We had exactly one undergrad student, and she made coffee and copies. The faculty hid from undergrads who were trying to track them down to beg for research positions. Undergrads were regarded as more trouble than they were worth. Obviously this does not mean every large flagship works this way.
But anyway, this is all very different from my experience as an undergrad at one of the LACs being considered in this thread. The chemistry professors tracked us down for research. We students started to regard them as pests. (And I don’t think it’s just due to my LAC being a highly ranked one. My sister attended a regional LAC with nearly open admissions, and she too was actively pursued for undergrad research opportunities.)
So I think LACs are popular on CC for a reason. And even more popular are places like MIT and Ivys, which CC students and parents often choose even when they could attend a flagship.