<p>What? It’s a serious concern. In an ideal world, the education value would indeed mean everything and the institution would be judged on that basis rather than reputations built up largely as a function of age and wealth of founder.</p>
<h2>Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world, and while the US is definitely a lot better about personal merit vs. reputation of college/grad school than some other places (England being the easiest example), going a college with “great” educational value and a very large number of merits on the side is going to do a lot more for most people than going to a school offering a better education and atmosphere but fewer such side benefits. It’s not so much that I’m primarily concerned with it as it is that the people doing the hiring are.</h2>
<p>EDIT: I should probably note, just as clarity, that this really only applies to the ‘universal big top’ places and the places regarded as top in individual fields (Chicago for economics, etc.). Anything short of those, better value of the education itself is going to worth a lot more.</p>