<p>eyemgh,</p>
<p>My conclusion, on behalf of my son, was that in-state flagships are the best value for students who are willing to take advantage of the opportunities available. My son was offerred admission to our in-state flagship after completing 10th grade, got in the honors program, and with a merit scholarship to boot, so it was a no-brainer to go there rather than finish high school and apply to elites. He is very happy with his decision and doing well, with GPA 3.91 so far, and aiming for top-tier grad school, so I don’t think he has compromised any future opportunities by not holding out for undergrad MIT or Caltech, for which there would be no guarantee of admission in any event.</p>