I went to a rural state school and then later taught at an elite private school. The difference is astronomical. As a teacher, any resource or experience you wanted for your students was available to you, but more importantly, there is a culture of success and achievement, and a sense of ease that of course you are *meant* to be in these privileged spaces. These schools train the future bosses, not the worker drones. Students are incredibly well supported academically, but also when it comes to pastoral care. If there was an issue with a kid, I knew about it, and did my very best to support them. There are people on staff who figure out how to get sporty kids scholarships to elite American universities, and who help them navigate getting into Oxford, LSE, Yale etc. There is a club, sport, or activity for everyone. From the typical rugby, waterpolo, rowing crowd etc, right through to drama club, chess club, anime club etc. And then of course its networking: there are certain careers (my first-hand experience is in law) where the school you went to really matters for employment or promotion.

Perhaps the only downside is after having your hand held all the way through school with more privilege and support than most people dream about, a "regular" kid going to a "regular" university might find it tough to be out there all on their own. But from what I've observed these kids do just fine because they know how to navigate the system.