The value of higher education primarily comes from three sources:
- the professors you interact with;
- the fellow students you interact with; and
- the opportunities you are given outside of classrooms
The elite schools do add more values in all these three areas. However, if you’re not a genius coming in, elite schools won’t turn you into one. You success later in life will be mostly determined by your innate ability and your own efforts, even though an elite education helps.