<p>There’s another consideration, assuming you can afford both, opportunity cost. It’s one thing to ponder whether or not an elite school is worth $175,000 more than a good value state school, but what if you invested the money saved. At 6% interest, that $175k becomes over $3,200,000 in the 50 years between 18 and 68. Earn 9.4%, the average return of the DJIA since 1900, and you’d have $15,500,000. In my mind, there had better be a pretty tangible difference in the programs to justify that, hence the OP, does it really matter where you go?</p>
<p>M</p>