<p>Every state flagship university has an excellent education available for anyone who chooses to pursue it. Since your choice comes down to two large public universities, you are not sacrificing small classes or a more intimate environment. You are sacrificing a somewhat more cosmopolitan community, but the savings will give you more flexibility in considering travel and internship opportunities. Most public universities participate in exchange programs with other state universities, allowing you a chance to study elsewhere for a semester if you get sick of AL. If money weren’t an object, I wouldn’t consider AL over WA for a nanosecond, but I have a son who is also facing a decision and realized that the less expensive school will allow him all sorts of options that he wouldn’thave if he had to work in paying jobs through the year, incur huge debts, and blow through all of his savings (and a lot of his parents’).</p>