<p>The answer to your questions completely depend on the needs, wants, and abilities of each individual student. As for the second question, the answer is, personally, yes. For me, it’s a money thing. As a low-income student I have two options with less than $30,000 debt - no college or a top 20 school. Going to a top school means not worrying about money nearly as much, and the extra opportunities that provides.</p>