With the onslaught of back to school supplies attacking you off the shelves in every store you enter, and the oh-so-collegiate chill that starts to come in the air, that speaks of sweaters and camel coats à la Love Story (or, perhaps more realistically for some, sweatshirts and Ugg boots...), comes the yearly ranking of the creme de la creme of America's universities. 

In today's economy, the high price of higher education makes it all the more important investment.

Is Harvard really worth the cost? Is there any hope for finding a good school on the West Coast? Click through to find out.