<p>Lemonade.
I agree with you. Many colleges - Univ of Arizona, U of Illinois, U Tenn all have the same attributes. (However, very few of the Nobles teach undergrads at those schools as compared to Stanford and Harvard where they do).</p>
<p>My point is that is whether an education at Exeter or Stanford “better” than an education at “a lessor” college or private school. The answer is “probably not” - esp for the good student with the exception that the elites might stimulate some to higher goals.</p>