Thank you everyone, for the thoughtful comments.

It seems I will be taking a risk either way, so I guess it's time to make a decision and stick with it.

See this kinda makes me wonder if you drew the right conclusion here.

Mizzou is far, far less risky that UIUC.

UIUC is a great school for the state of Illinois. I guess if you really want to work in Illinois and you want to run to risk of that enormous debt, that.. is a decision you could make??

Please don't make this decision based on the USNEWS.

No worries, I'm thinking Mizzou is the safer risk. Unless UIUC is able to up my scholarship, I think it's out of the running.

Life just got more complicated - my scholarship was now upped quite a bit at both schools. Does this change anyone's opinion?

Total Costs -
Mizzou 30K
Illinois 63K

This is way, way more manageable. So you essentially have the same scholarship at both schools and now, with Mizzou cheaper because of your house?

You mentioned not wanting big law, wanting DA..

If you want DA in the state of Missouri, go to Mizzou.
If you want DA in the state of Illinois, go to UIUC.

I think 63k is manageable. If you like Illinois and UIUC better, I say go for it. You only live once and at that price I don't think you are necessarily making a huge mistake, with is really the same thing that could be said with Mizzou.

Additionally, if you change your mind and want (big law or non big law) private practice, Chicago is an option from UIUC with competitive grades. Obviously the same can be said about Mizzou in regards to St. Louis/KC, but I would bet the private practice fall back plan from UIUC would be a better.

I like the italicized necessarily - sums up my thoughts nicely. Still riskier than I would like, but no where near as crushing as $110 K in loans and working at a small practice or government job.

I think it just became a coin flip. I actually might even lean Illinois.

Deposited at UIUC, against the wishes of the voters.

Honestly, I thought that 100k was manageable. You can still live if you get a 45k job with 100k in debt if you extend to 15 years. It will be meager and not fun, but you won't default as long as you keep that job. I still don't think that a 45k job is terribly difficult to get out of tier 1 law school. At median from Illinois you can get that at least.

I'd definitely say Illinois now. Even though I really like Missouri as a state and think it's a school that gets too easily shat on.

OP, your decision was reasonable. The difference between Mizzou and UIUC is worth 30k.