<p>^^^ I’m with you. I see both sides. My older son would be fine in either flagship honors college, or a small LAC. And he’s been offered merit packages at a top LAC that is actually LESS money than one of the top state flagship he was accepted to (state U. also gave him a merit award). It’s not a “one is better than the other”, because it depends so much on what state were are talking about. And although we live in VA, land of some of the best of the state schools, the competition to get into the two top state schools is equivelent to Ivy. It’s meant that many 4.2/2300 students are looking at other affordable options. There are state schools that are lower tier with honors colleges in VA, but is that better than an almost full ride to a top 50 ranked LAC? Every state has a unique different circumstance to take into account.</p>