Don’t worry about what other people think. VT is a great school where you will receive a solid education. Most importantly, it is affordable. That is really the most important thing. WPI is mainly a New England known school because it is smaller–it’s not as widely known as VT but you shouldn’t let neighbors’ and friends’ idea of your school’s prestige stop you. If you love the school, you love it. No one else is going there or paying for it except for you, so your opinion matters.