<p>The guy who is rumored to be taking over as the BP CEO went to Illinois for undergrad and SMU (I think) for grad school. I don’t envy his position.</p>
<p>Another thing that you may not have seen on here yet, ripemango, are some of the threads about what top academic kids are offered. The cost of higher ed is skyrocketing and for the upper middle class, it is not as easy as it once was to write the check. So while students who are financial aid eligible may pay less, the full pay families are really getting hit. My point? Some top kids are getting full tuition scholarships at nice state schools, so the bill is about $10K for room and board per year. As full pay families, they get to pay $55K, so the difference is quite dramatic. </p>
<p>For a hard working student who loves to learn, most families just don’t see choosing the bigger price tag school as a wise financial decision.</p>