I tell people that unless they have the right connections or are destined for greatness, they should go to state school. At state universities, the professors either can't cut it as researchers, or they just give a shit about teaching. Either way, your average instructional experience is going to be better as an undergrad, because it's the professors' job to instruct you (and, for some, their passion). At a research university, teaching plays second fiddle to research -- always.

Plus, state schools are cheap in your home state. You can avoid crippling debt and get more faculty support, thus avoiding having to figure out the rules on your own with a $50,000 per semester Damocletian sword over your head.