I went to a a top tier US public high school, was top 20% in my class and ended up going to a state university. Over 15 years in finance, including working at

I went to a a top tier US public high school, was top 20% in my class and ended up going to a state university. Over 15 years in finance, including working at multiple top 10 hedge funds, I've gotten to work with a lot of top Ivy and non-Ivy graduates. I've come to a couple conclusions: - There doesn't seem to be a difference in the smartest people from an Ivy and the smartest people from state schools - Going to a Ivy or top university definitely gives you an advantage at some firms and there is something to be said for the network these schools have both from an alumni perspective but also from people you went to school with. - I would argue that state schools are a better preparation for "life in general" b/c you learn how to deal with a larger variety of people, organizations, social backgrounds etc than you do at an Ivy - There are a LOT of senior people at firms that prioritize Ivy league graduates who did NOT go to an Ivy league school. That would lead me to believe that there are many paths to success outside of getting an Ivy league degree.