> UF and FSU and Auburn are great schools and the quality of education there is probably comparable to that of Harvard, but that almost doesn't matter.

What is that based on? (Also, why those particular schools?)

Here's one way to look at it:

To learn something, some people want to learn from the best in the world and to study with the best in the world. They want to change the world and want to maximize their potential; they want professors and fellow students who can challenge them as much as possible, who can take them as far as possible.

Some people are more oriented toward a less maximizing path, which is fine - maybe more about learning what is in the textbook from a decent professor. Possibly they indeed wouldn't benefit from Harvard. I suspect when people say things like 'Auburn's education is the same quality as Harvard's', they mean that the kind of education they got at Auburn wouldn't be better at Harvard. Maybe that's true, but Harvard offers something far greater, not available at Auburn. It's a chance to work with (and build relationships with) the very best minds in the world, some of the best in human history.

Think of that kid in your high school who just blew away every class, even the hardest ones; who found other things outside school or at nearby colleges to challenge them. That kid wants to be around other kids like them, who challenge them, and around professors who can make the most out of their potential and passions.