college is first and foremost a business transaction.

For her undergrad, whatever is the cheapest. Don't care if it's an unknown state school. Go there, crush the GPA, get involved in extracurriculars.

A close friend I went to high school with (non-Utah) went to a small state school. Crushed his grades, got involved, walked onto the wrestling team. Worked 2 years after his BS and crushed that. Then got accepted to Harvard for his MBA. Crushed that. And has killed it in his business career since. I'd put his net north of 20 million. He's 41.

He sees everything as transactional and passionately laughs at those (me included) who put ANY stock into where someone completes their undergrad.

I don't 100% subscribe to his theory...but he's got credibility behind his argument.