Yes, broadly and roughly, it's true that "It's not what you know but who you know." That roughly fits with the idea (I regard as only roughly true) that being

Yes, broadly and roughly, it's true that "It's not what you know but who you know." That roughly fits with the idea (I regard as only roughly true) that being a member of an appropriate social group is more important than knowledge, ability, and accomplishments. But all of this stuff about college and the Ivy League now seems to be less important and replaced by: What is really important and respected in academics is research accomplishments. When I was in school, I found nearly all the courses too much botheration. For good material, I just went carefully through some of the best books on my own. That way I learned some good material thoroughly, and that showed later, e.g., in Ph.D. program qualifying exams, applications, and research. Here are some influences (I don't fully believe them but did come to believe that they are influential because lots of others believe them): (1) Whatever learned in undergraduate school is baby talk. (2) The more important and challenging material is in graduate school. (3) Courses are of limited utility: If get very far in a field, likely there are no good courses and have to learn from advanced texts and research papers alone or nearly so. Some versions of (apprenticeship can be helpful). (4) No one can carry the library around in their head and should not try. (5) Why bother to learn and memorize something that can easily be looked up in a library, or now on the Internet? (6) The accomplishment that really matters is good research.