<p>Many of today's top leaders (CEOs, politians, etc.) came from top schools. So my question is, who came first... the university, or the student. </p>
<p>Meaning that... did the student get into the top university because he/she was already smart, and could have done what they did my just going to some state college, or did the prestigious university mold them into some of the smartest people in this country, and allow them to do the things that they did.</p>
<p>In my opinion education will contribute to less than 5% of your success. Its the smart, driven people that attend schools like Harvard, Wharton and Yale that become successful, the school itself doesn't magically mold you into a future leader. But it does help being in an environment filled with other smart people.</p>
<p>Ex1. I read somewhere that people who were accepted into ivy league schools but chose not to attend(personal reasons like they couldn't afford it) were just as successful as the people who got accepted and attended.</p>
<p>Ex2. Look on the forbes 400,enough people don't have any degrees.</p>
<p>People who will become CEOs will lielly be driven enough to get into Harvard.</p>
<p>One word: Ambition is everyrthing, some of us have it more than others and going to harvard makes starting out your goals a bit higher, a bit easier, but you could make it eitherway.</p>
<p>An ivy league education is going to make getting your leg in the door a little easier, but it sure as hell won't help you advance: you gotta prove yourself for that.</p>
<p>Something you all should read:</p>
<p>Of note is this chart:</p>
<p>What I think is most interesting about this entire aspect of education is that as the Selectivity of the HYP-type colleges increases their Market share of the board rooms of America is actually Decreasing.</p>
<p>Also bear in mind that many of the "top leaders(politicians)" you mention that went to Ivy league schools for undergraduate came from exceedingly wealthy and powerful families. George W. Bush, John Kerry, and Howard Dean for example all went to Yale, all came from serious money, and all screwed around in college and for years afterwards before finally getting their acts together. Or possibly never got their act together, depending on how you look at it.</p>