With a modicum of commitment, it is of course possible to learn the technical content of a course online or by correspondence. However, contacts are not the on

With a modicum of commitment, it is of course possible to learn the technical content of a course online or by correspondence. However, contacts are not the only (or even the main) benefit of attending a top university such as Harvard, Cambridge or MIT. Putting a group of similarly intelligent young people together in an environment that fosters learning and exchange is just as important -- students learn as much from each other as from their teachers. And the manner in which they learn is formed by the environment, which imposes certain expectations with respect to intellectual rigor and creativity. This is how the top universities continue to stay on top despite there being only a small difference in the quality of the students studying there, and virtually no difference in course content, compared to those just beneath them in the various rankings.