Also prestige whoring wasn't always as pervasive as it is now. Even as recently as the 90's when I was applying to college, the ivy league proudly proclaimed th

Also prestige whoring wasn't always as pervasive as it is now. Even as recently as the 90's when I was applying to college, the ivy league proudly proclaimed their lack of merit or athletic scholarships... so I didn't even consider applying there. I think the location of schools was a bigger factor to most of my fellow students than the reputation. New England winters were scary. And my high school actually advised against the nearby elite university because of their recent student suicides. The solid state flagship school was where normal people aspired to go. It's bizarre to compare the world back then to now. My parents' number one concern was they wanted me out of the house and able to support myself.