As a graduate of an “elite” college (Amherst), I think that for me, it was worth the money. I made life long friends, learned a lot, and was surrounded by bright and enggaged minds (the students and most professors). As regards, the loopy left students (a minority), professors and administration, its a tragedy but I am not sure you get a less ideological faculty at state universities, after all the profs there have ivy league degrees. The only solution is for the alums a la Dartmouth to apply pressure and to elect trustees that have more main stream views.