I assume you are talking to me, but I never said education is negligible. I said the difference between one accredited university with adequate resources and another offering the same courses is negligible.
You kind of made my point though. That list you provided? It has Stanford, which is the subject of discussion here with 14 billionaires. Texas has 10. Now, Stanford is #4 on academic rankings according to US News and World Report. Texas is 52. Oh, but that must be just oil money right? They all pulled a Beverly Hillbillies. What about USC though? They have 16 and are ranked 23. Clearly there's more to becoming wealthy than just going to the most prestigious institution.
What is going on? Places like Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Penn (which houses Wharton) attract the best and brightest America has to offer. Do they do a good job once they get them? Sure, but that isn't my point. My point was the best and brightest in America will be able to succeed as long as they make wise and thoughtful choices, not merely because they choose to go one of those schools. The best and brightest can be successful going to Michigan, USC or apparently the University of Mumbai.
I do without a doubt think that those aforementioned universities can offer things that are extremely helpful to the future success of their students. It's just not one size fits all. Prestige alone does not make one university a better fit than another.
IMHO, the only scenario that favors Stanford, for an athlete, is one in which you are without professional prospects, but talented enough to leverage a sport into free admission to an academically elite school, and still only if you feel that you can thrive academically.
Very thoughtful post, and really that's all I'm asking people to do. Just think about it in depth. It's not all as simple as just go to Alabama if you're good at football and just go to Princeton if you're smart.
Anyway, as to this particular point, I think you're spot on. If someone can use their athletic ability to gain admittance to a prestigious college they wish to attend,
and that truly is their goal good for them. But, it should not be to the detriment of their professional career or what they truly want. People work harder for what they want and work best when they are comfortable. Truth is some people are going to be more comfortable at Stanford than Alabama and vice versa. Choosing a college is a complicated choice but I do hope everyone weighs all the factors when those choices are made. That's all I've ever been trying to get at here. Don't buy shoes just because the name on them, don't buy a car just because of the brand, and don't go to a college just because it's ranked high. Choose what's best for you after you have weighed all the factors.