Proof that you do not have to go to an Ivy to do extremely well too.

Here is the story that caught my eye:-

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.te...-rocket-scientist-and-ceo-before-30/amp/

Here’s another:-

https://www.careercontessa.com/interviews/natalya-brikner-ceo-aerospace-engineering-accion/

Agreed. Don't need to attend an elite college right out of high school. Students/families might choose to attend a more affordable college and save tuition money for higher degrees.

For each subsequent degree, Natalya attended more selective schools:
1) Bachelors - San Diego State University (#127 in National Universities, US News & World Report Ranking for 2019)
2) Masters - Duke University (#8 in National Universities, US News & World Report Ranking for 2019)
3) PhD - MIT (#3 in National Universities, US News & World Report for 2019)

Although what really happened was that after her master's at Duke her supervisor left. She had alread identified her passion and knew that the alternative put on the table at Duke wasn't what she lived and breathed- Space Travel. She then knuckled down, had to start from scratch at MIT and the rest is History.

Something that I really like about her is that she mentors girls and boys in STEM today. Even though my daughter clearly benefits from the current science trips for girls only fad - I can honestly say that IMO the practice is discriminatory and wrong. We need the young and able to thrive in STEM not just girls.