@jpc763 both schools were mentioned. CU is at least a 2 hour drive from any of the major ski areas, CSU is more like 3 hours - on a no snow/no traffic day. CSM is closer. If you are routinely making it from Boulder to Winter Park in 2 hours, you are one fast driver.
He wants an argument that CU is just as good as Princeton. That argument only exists for a specific major (ex., aerospace engineering) or if the relatives would consider fit. FOR THIS STUDENT, CU might be a much better school because it will make him happy, but his relatives don’t really care about that, they want to brag that he’s going to Princeton or Harvard or Stanford.
He didn’t say if cost is a factor, but if the family is lower income, the Ivies+ might be cheaper than CU or Mines.