Young, Gifted, and Not Getting Into Harvard

This article reminds me of a thought I've had in the past: There are about 10 or 20 schools with a national reputation. If you aren't going to one of those schools, it doesn't really matter where you go.

You can get a good, even great, education at any college in America. Reading the right 100 books, available for free from your local library, will give you a first-class education. Go somewhere nice, cheap, or with good weather, but follow your interests where they take you. Better yet, learn how to fix air conditioners or become a plumber or truck driver. Nothing wrong with learning a trade. God knows that a plumber can live wherever he/she wants and make a decent living--things I cannot do with a Ph.D.