If you are young and planning on grad school, a strong state school is better undergraduate choice than an Ivy

If you are gifted and eventually aiming for a degree from an elite grad school, a strong state school is a better undergrad choice than an Ivy.

Grad school prestige matters way more in the long run. A top PhD, law, or med program will open doors, no matter where you went for undergrad. And if you are truly brilliant, you’ll stand out at a state school and land in a top-tier (Ivy or Ivy-equivalent) grad program. Not necessarily so with Ivy undergrads, since it’s hard to stand out amongst a cohort of overachievers.

Why spend a fortune on undergrad when it won’t make much difference later? Unless the Ivy is handing out a huge scholarship, a strong state school is usually the smarter move.