It matters. But you can be just as successful, if not more. If I am paying $70k per year for a college that does not matter for my kid, I am an idiot. But I tend to be a very practical person. The day it doesn’t matter will be the day no one cites ranking sources in articles. But I must say it doesn’t matter as much for some kids who choose merit money over prestige. It comes down to finance and fit.