Second, I totally get and agree that the "My kid goes to _________ phenomenon" is a real thing and is pretty ridiculous. But sending your child more than a day's drive away from home for college can be a really great experience for them. I agree that it's not worth going into heavy debt for, but if you're fortunate enough to avoid that through scholarships or being financially blessed, it's a great life experience. I'd say that's especially so in NOLA and Louisiana -- it's perhaps not as bad as it used to be, but the provincialism here can be pretty stifling.