<p>@planner03, you have a point, though some of them are indeed prestige hounds (not all of them lay low, either), buying in to the hype, caving in to the whims of their entitled children, making catastrophic financial decisions, or ignorant. Sometimes, 3 or 4 or even all 5, and that’s really sad.</p>
<p>I have my own list of which schools are worth a private full-pay (only a handful), 3/4th cost, or half-cost (which is how much I plan to budget for each kid and which is more than enough for any in-state school and actually some other educational options, including some really well-respected schools overseas, if you are intrepid). I went to an Ivy-equivalent (where my parents paid almost nothing as they made almost nothing) and have come to the conclusion that there are really only a handful of industries/professions where going to a certain school gives you a big leg up, and there are only a handful of those schools. For most schools, your major and, most importantly, your own motivation, skills you develop, & character matter more.</p>
<p>Plus, even for entering those professions where I think a private full-pay can be justified, there are ways to break in from a state school which most people don’t even consider. </p>