<p>Open question:</p>
<p>We’re all familiar with the advantages of attending an elite university for traditional students. A broad and highly rigorous education is highly beneficial in developing the mind. As well, university is hopefully a time of personal growth. And the elite universities tend to open more doors for professional advancement than are opened by less rigorous schools.</p>
<p>My question is as follows: To what extent are these advantages available to late-blooming non-traditional students who attend an elite university later in life?</p>
<p>Specifically:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Can university actually be a time of personal growth for non-traditional students? Or is it limited to just attending classes and going straight home afterwards?</p></li>
<li><p>Do non-traditional students who graduate from an elite university later in life truly have the same opportunities as students who graduate on the traditional schedule? If not, which of these opportunities are not realistic?</p></li>
<li><p>As a side note, as to “broad and highly rigorous education”, the programs specific to non-traditional students which I’m convinced to meet this standard include Columbia GS and Penn LPS. Are there any I’m missing? It is emphasized that I’m not interested in programs which are tacitly understood to be a substantially less rigorous form of the day program, even if they lead to a degree from a prestigious university. Note that I’ll also consider day programs which aren’t specific to non-traditional students if need be.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks in advance!</p>