<p>ucbalumnus points out regularly that the best students at the good state flagships are always top notch. They turn down “more prestigious” schools for various reasons, but usually for money. Don’t assume you’ll be surrounded by slouches at a state school. They’ll be gone after a year or two.</p>
<p>Many schools use the same textbooks. But I’ve read that sometimes the more rigorous schools go through more chapter/semester or assign more homework (more problems and/or more challenging ones.) </p>
<p>" Any perspective on the size of programs (regardless of whether it’s public or private universities)?" Per my own experiences and research for both kids, there are pros/cons to large and small programs. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>I liked attending a school of about 3000 students, mostly STEM. That seemed a good size for me (it’s a personal preference). Yet there was still plenty of course selection. </p></li>
<li><p>A small school with even smaller engineering dept might give a more personal feel. The tradeoff would be limited class selection, some of them only offered in alternate years. </p></li>
<li><p>A large university with large engineering dept would have excellent course selection, often offered every semester. It also offers the option to switch majors if desired, assuming GPA meets dept transfer requirements.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Go wherever you feel most comfortable. That’s the bottom line, assuming that the school has a reasonably strong program. I went to a small, private high school and felt overwhelmed when touring my state flagship. I am currently at a designated tech school and am very happy here. You may be different, so consider all possible options and go with whatever works best for you. Just my 2 cents.</p>