The grades probably mean more, but that doesn't mean that the students in more elite universities in the US don't learn more than their counterparts at other sc

The grades probably mean more, but that doesn't mean that the students in more elite universities in the US don't learn more than their counterparts at other schools. At Cornell, all the classes were curved, and the curve was set (in most intro classes, somewhere between a C+ and a B). That meant if you wanted to get a B you had to beat at least half the people in the course. If those people got 1600 on their SATs and had gotten a 5 on their AP comp sci exam they're a bit more of a challenge than kids of lesser qualifications.