[ndriscoll]

Being smart doesn't mean you value optimizing for economic advantage in life. If you can coast through a stress-free life and have fun with friends while still being decently successful, you might opt to do that rather than grind at a status competition. And that's just when being analytical about it; people may also make irrational decisions due to things like depression where they just stop caring altogether.

The choices aren't elite or no-name. There are large institutions called state schools where tons of normal people go. They're not very picky (the one I went to has an 86% acceptance rate and a student body in the 10s of thousands), and if you're shooting for middle or upper-middle class they're probably fine.

The median engineering graduate for example makes $100k[0], and almost tautologically did not go to an elite school. They can afford food, housing, and healthcare just fine.

[0] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/field-of-degree/engineering/engineer...

[bradlys]

It also doesn’t mean that you need to sell your soul during your teenage years so you can “have your options open” later.

I went to a state school and still had a 7 fig income before I was 30. It’s by no means a requirement and I think most “smart” people would agree.

[watwut]

There is massive difference between going to state school and going to new no-name university OP just created. The claim was about the latter.

State schools are mostly good schools and standard start, sure. Statistically you are beyter off going to top schools, but that is about that.

OP proposed to create new university that will attract smart students. And there, chances are it will be as successful as Trump university and attract only that not exactly smart crowd.