In some ways I agree and understand your point, but you have to think that you’re researching colleges at age 17 or 18. I’m the oldest of two and felt way too overwhelmed to choose the university that would have best helped my future job prospects. Much less even know what I really wanted to do. I was mostly concerned with staying close-ish to home and getting scholarships. In fact, those factors are things I’m only now in my mid-twenties beginning to understand.

I also definitely had what we now call imposter syndrome and aimed too low, but that’s another issue…