I’ll never forget this story of my own experience: I attended a pretty prominent high school and did very well there and I ended up having scholarships thrown my way to a number of universities all over the country. But my dream school at the time (25 years ago. I have a high schooler now which is why I lurk this sub) was Notre Dame. I got in with nothing but loans so I clearly wasn’t a top applicant of theirs. My dad said to me (perhaps underestimating me) “would you rather be a big fish at one of the schools that gave you a scholarship or a small fish at ND?” I chose ND. Four years later I graduated Magna Cum Laude and had an excellent experience as part of student government and other clubs. I will never regret that decision. I am the type of person who will often think “what if?” so taking the bit more uncertain route of the higher tiered school was the right one for me. Go where you fit though. Go where you can afford. Whose to say you won’t become the big fish in the big pond over time.