Same here. Got into MIT for engineering and went to a (still good) in-state school for engineering. My parents made it clear that they had saved enough to pay f

Same here. Got into MIT for engineering and went to a (still good) in-state school for engineering. My parents made it clear that they had saved enough to pay for the in-state tuition (+ an academic scholarship) but that I'd have to go into debt for MIT. Some of my peers were kind of shitty about it. "So-and-so doesn't like to try so I get their decision." There was definitely a cult of Ivy League there. I'm very happy with the decision. The in-state school was plenty challenging and I learned a bunch. Work in software now and got a job at a FAANG out of school (thanks to a referral from a college friend), so outcome-wise I can't imagine that sticker price being worth it. Not to mention that culturally I now know that MIT isn't exactly my vibe lol so I probably would've been unhappy.