what are you talking about? do you know how many people start careers from state schools? You think the workforce is made up of ppl from only those 10-15 schools? lol. ppl like you are the ones with 6 figures in student debt whining about nobody is hiring journalists while the chad who went to Arkansas is making 6 figures and loving life.
there's more to life & a career than the latest us news rankings, sorry.
^^^^^^ Most of the American middle class gets their start in state schools. For many of these kids it's much smarter not to go into debt for a degree from the Ivys. Also, a lot of these kids want to put more time/energy into their running careers instead of devoting hours to studying every day. I' almost certain a successful four years at a state school looks better to employers than an average one at schools like Stanford.
Undergrad - minimize debt (preferably zero) with the best mix of school experience and school reputation for grad school.
Grad school - get into the best school you can as long as the debt will be manageable with the chosen career path.
Kids from middle class families with good grades and SAT can be wise to downgrade the undergrad school choice so they can maximize scholarships and stay out of debt.