Agreed!
On the one hand, students at top national universities are not perfect. They are not always valedictorians or voted the most likely to succeed. Sometimes they are driven by their parents and not by their dreams.
On the other hand, students who easily get accepted to such schools may be miserable there and leave college early, disillusioned about “college” and themselves.
Those top colleges, such as MIT and Harvard, are not the best for most students. Even if you get in, is that college right for you? What kind of life will you have during those four (or more) years? Will you struggle with imposter syndrome the whole time or blend in and be a natural there?
Get some inside information and look at less famous options before making it your goal. Look for the best fit for you, not the most prestigious name. Ivy grads can fail in their careers and be miserable, and grads of obscure colleges can achieve great success and happiness.
Do you have a chance? Maybe, but is it best for you, maybe not.
I never discourage my students from applying to a top national university, but I strongly encourage them to apply to some schools that are great matches for their personalities, abilities, goals, and financial resources.