Going to a more prestigious and expensive institution isn't just about the diploma anyway. It's a 4 year long networking event where you build relationships wit

Going to a more prestigious and expensive institution isn't just about the diploma anyway. It's a 4 year long networking event where you build relationships with people that will help you for the rest of your life. Has this effect been quantified? I've heard this repeated over and over again, but I am skeptical that it would be the deciding factor in the success of a very capable person. (It might well be the deciding factor for a less capable person.) None of the people I know who went to expensive private universities got their current job through a college-related connection, though I work in the tech industry, which may be biasing the results. But I think the bigger point is, once online classes are regarded as every bit as educational and valid as in-person classes, going to a more prestigious and expensive institution will no longer be about the (perceived better) education and the networking, but only about the networking. This may be a harder sell, both for prospective students, and for the image of the institution in the wider world.