Tbh your college education is what you make of it. Getting a degree from a decent state school is generally better value than attending an elite school. I know plenty of state schoolers who have high paying tech jobs and plenty of elite school friends who are drowning in debt. In reality, you should do a cost benefit analysis. Will you future earning potentially be enough to pay off debt from a private school? Getting a degree in English lit from Harvard is just a stupid decision (if you're going into debt) as the chances of paying off debt with that degree is very low. If you've gotten into a top tier public school on full scholarship go with that. You'll excel and can go to an elite private school for grad school (which if done right should be free).