<p>Agreed with both oldfort and mom2collegekids: Debt of >10k a year (per person, e.g. student/parent) is really unmanageable post-college, especially for the student. But I also believe firmly in the importance of “fit,” and a state flagship just isn’t a “fit” for many students. Sure, honors makes a school smaller, but the community is not truly the same “feel”–you’re still going to sporting events with tens of thousands of students, and when you walk across campus, you’re not going to recognize 3/4 of the faces. Honors, IMO, is best for the student who wants some small classes, but also some larger lecture classes; who wants contact with professors, but also the broader social environment of a large school.</p>