In addition to what @hokiemama24 wrote, one of the biggest differences between a large public flagship and Notre Dame will be the universal quality of your peers. While there are undoubtedly large numbers of excellent students at public flagships, students of “Notre Dame” quality will remain a minority of the student body (Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan and UVA aside). That may or may not matter depending on who you hang out with and the academic and living arrangements (Honors College, Honors Residence Halls, etc.). The next four years of your life will be shaped strongly by the environment you will be in - and your fellow students are a huge part of that. Whether it is academic interaction, social relations or just hanging out and discussing the state of world at midnight in your residence hall, you will be learning a lot outside of the classroom in determining who the person is that you want to be. The peers that my son has at Notre Dame were a huge reason for his choosing to attend, and it is amazing to watch the personal growth that derives from that.