If my kids plan to go to college, I plan to make them enroll in a community college where credits can transfer over to a large college.
The first few years is BS crap that everyone takes anyways. It wasn't till my end of Junior year, and Senior year that my classes were heavily targeted towards my degree.
That's when I will tell them to go the big school. Get the good education (hopefully), and get the accreditation of the better school for a diploma, and keep the debt to a minimum. 3 years at a Community college won't cost much, and during that time, they can work or intern (better idea) and make money to help pay for their final year in the bigger school. That way, if they do accrue debt, it's much less than 4 years at the big school.
My boys will have the choice, learn a trade, or do college my way. I'm not paying for them to half-ass it. I was a spoiled piece of **** in college, and happily I got my ass handed to me quickly in the real world. I don't want my kids doing the same thing.