<p>We live in North Carolina. The vast majority …even the smartest ones… attend one of the universities in the UNC system…not because they have to but because they want to…even those from well-to-do families (that we know) who could pay full freight at privates.</p>
<p>The Vals of both my kids h.s. classes chose state schools. Nine of the top ten students in S1’s class (including S1) all chose NC public universities. The one who didn’t went to Columbia.</p>
<p>Here in NC, state schools are not the last resort they are more often the first choice.</p>