further invalidates my degree for which I actually had to do a lot of very difficult actual work

If your degree is all you've got going for you, you're already in trouble. A degree should be viewed as a means to get your foot in the door for your first real job. From then on, it's all on you. (Admittedly, there is research that shows that the higher up the totem pole you start your career the better you'll do for the rest of your career, so Ivy League is still a good deal for many people.)