There are far more effective ways to stand out as an applicant than your GPA and university — in particular, by actually contributing notable work to the field,

There are far more effective ways to stand out as an applicant than your GPA and university — in particular, by actually contributing notable work to the field, but also by making social connections and leveraging those into a job. I didn’t even graduate from high school, but I’ve never struggled to find employment with the companies I wanted to work for. The idea of a degree as a first-pass filter is oversold at best.