Originally Posted by Velo Vol

Looking back at undergrad, my view (which I'd tell an 18 y-o-d who cared what I had to say), is that unless you're in a niche field (e.g., a science nerd going to MIT), just as important as school rankings (or maybe even more so) are the connections you make in school, with students and faculty. And there are plenty of good faculty in lower-tier colleges that inspire and mentor students.