<p>Colleges and universities offer options on a variety of levels, depending on programs offered and their selection criteria. The quality of teaching can be quite variable as well – I learned early on in my own college career that the credentials & fame of the professor had no correlation whatsoever with quality of instruction. I entered college looking at the course catalog and thinking how cool it would be to study with the famous prof. Dr. A, or nobel-prize winning Dr. B. I emerged having discovered that some of my best profs were adjuncts or untenured lecturers – the same type of people who also get jobs teaching at community colleges and low-prestige 4-year-colleges. </p>
<p>I do think that the elite schools offer a wonderful array of opportunities, but not all students take advantage of those opportunities. There is also a wonderful array of opportunities available at many less selective colleges and public U’s – and again, some students who are less prone to take advantage of what is available than others. As to the students, its not a matter of ability – its a matter of personality and attitude. </p>
<p>I also think its really impossible to compare outcomes among students with different outcomes and majors. How do you possibly compare the educational outcome of a chemistry major with a classics major? Both majors require very challenging course work – but unless the school has a strong core requirement, its possible that those students can begin and end their academic careers without taking a single course in common.</p>