I have to admit that one of the main reasons I moved to a specific suburb was to have my kids in a good school district. However, the purpose was never to get them into a good university, rather, it was to ensure they received a good education. Frankly, how good of an education they got largely settled on my kids and on us. We are solidly middle class. I am blessed that we were never encumbered with an obsession that our kids attend a top 20 university. My oldest D did apply to a couple but it wasn’t with the idea that acceptance was necessary for future success or any kind of self actualization (hers or ours). It was primarily as an option if she did. The application process was comparatively stress free. That someone would spend 10s of thousands of dollars to ensure their children get into a specific school is beyond my ken.
All of this is to say that while it would be nice to have more money I wouldn’t trade my current situation if it meant being obsessed with only what money would buy. It also leaves me free of concern of what others do, have or think.