<p>Bigjake587, when did I ever say that people didn't also go to the elite LAC's just for the prestige? I think you are confusing 2 issues - the prestige issue vs. the research issue. It is obviously true that at any elite school, there are people who are there just for the name. </p>
<p>Furthermore, it has nothing do with the inability to fend for oneself. The fact is, with the exception of Cornell, the Ivies really aren't that hard to get through. Maybe you won't get through one with all A's, or even in a major that you want (i.e. instead of majoring in physics, you might end up having to take a degree in an easy major). But the fact is, very few students at any Ivy (again, with the exception of Cornell) are going to flunk out. Once you're matriculated, then as along as you put in a reasonable effort, you're going to graduate. This is a rather far cry from, say, Caltech, where you can put in a lot of effort and still flunk out.</p>
<p>well sure...maybe because those who get into the Ivys are exactly the type to put in enough effort to not flunk out...with the "exception of cornell" whose student body seems to be getting less and less talented and intelligent with every year</p>
<p>Oh I don't know about the contention that those who get into the Ivy's are exactly the type who will put in the effort to not flunk out. Consider this. I would argue that the student bodies at MIT and Caltech roughly as talented as that of the Ivies, and in the case of many of the Ivies, the student bodies at MIT and Caltech are arguably more talented. Yet more students seem to flunk out of MIT and Caltech (especially Caltech) than the Ivies. </p>
<p>The point is that flunkout rates are not determined just by the quality of the student body. You can have a very very strong student body like Caltech does and still flunk out lots of students. Flunkout rates are determined not just by the quality of the students, but also by the culture of the school. Some schools have a very tough and extremely demanding culture and have no problem in flunking out lots of students. Other schools are softer. Hence, the culture of the school plays a role at least as important as the strength of the student body.</p>