Is it dumb to care this much about student loan rates before even committing to a school?

I was chatting with someone who’s choosing between two similar colleges and instead of focusing on the college experience stuff, they’re deep in the weeds comparing loan options, rates, and repayment terms, like spreadsheets and everything. Part of me thinks that’s smart, but part of me wonders if it’s overkill this early when so much can change. If you were deciding, would you lock in on federal loans for simplicity, or actually spend time trying to find better private rates?