Absolutely right. The value of a university is no more than it’s initial filtering system. It’s the one status symbol that can’t be bought (well, I know what you are thinking but let’s not digress ). I’ve always thought it would be a great idea for people to apply to college and once accepted - you have an elite college club that they join, and they just don’t attend college. It would be a $200 application fee well spent. Then you take $50,000 and spend it on 5 international and 5 local trips over a 3 year period and boom - you got a great network!