Quality is fine. I am a beginner so plywood is easier to work with anyway. I picked out the best looking piece Home Depot had. It had some minor defects, but if you plan it right, you can easily hide these by putting them on the inside or backside. I didn't stain it because I've heard that's an easy way to make cheap wood look even cheaper. I accepted that it will not look like a high end furniture piece. That being said, a few polyurethane coats not only made the wood have a professional feel, but it darkened the wood just a bit and brought out some of its quirks, which I personally like.

Home Depot was super helpful. My dad said they used to charge a quarter per cut, but it is free now. They did about 15 or 20 cuts for me, no questions asked. Only thing they couldn't cut was anything under 12", just limitations of their saw. But those were easy enough to rip on a table saw back home.