In the small, rural, blue-collar community where I grew up, opting to go anywhere but the local state school was seen as putting on airs. I didn't even leave for a private school--just an urban out-of-state state school--and many people, including my parents and relatives, seemed to take this as a rejection of them and their entire way of living. But to be fair, it was! I couldn't get out fast enough and wouldn't dream of going back!