<p>On the other hand, if you would like to graduate from college free from debt (a rather good idea for some people, especially pre-meds, pre-vets, and pre-law students who have several more years of school to pay for), a state university honors college might be ideal. Many of the same top students who will be offered places in their state university's honors college will also be offered a nice bit fat merit scholarship from that same university. Here in Maryland, quite a few kids are in the honors program at UMCP because the school gave them so much merit scholarship money that they're basically going to college for free.</p>