Why is it ok to introduce someone as "got his PhD at xxx"? Isn't it elitist? Why does it even matter decades beyond this PhD? Why is it considered more important than what they studied? Or their contributions?
Of course there is a causal factor. The probability of getting tenure and grants and a powerful network is higher if you manage to get admitted to a highly selective elite university (with more exalted faculty too). That’s the whole point.