Depending on how great student, good school, and great school are defined, studies could and have come to very different answers to that question.
Yes, they certainly could, and have. For instance, the ROI on a BS is much better at many tech schools than a BA at the Ivies or Ivy-equivalents. But that’s early in one’s career. Mid-career, a prestigious school might come out ahead. Depending…
The problem is, most kids/parents who run up debt aren’t at prestigious schools.
I come from a background and current location where no one gives a d*&m about SLACs, or the Ivies. Most of my friends have advanced graduate degrees and come from many different backgrounds, and they are all successful.
Kids can bloom where they are planted, and talent rises. We just need to have more faith in our children, and support them, instead of thinking that what school they end up at determines their worth. It does not.
@harper8 I was agreeing with @scotlandcalling. But I’m not a good person to ask. I live near Stanford. Many folks around these parts have one of those fancy (Stanford, Ivies, Williams, etc.) private educations. :))
But nowhere near as many who went to public colleges and universities.
Not within my social and professional network unfortunately. I do play basketball with a dad who went to UCLA though. :))