The study by the National Venture Capital Association and Dow Jones VentureWire disclosed that 42 percent of VC investors went to Harvard, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, Duke, or MIT.

Though a handful of schools produced a disproportionate slice of VCs, only 4 percent of those in the industry entered their current jobs directly from school. Prior to entering the venture capital business, 22 percent were either C-level entrepreneurs or startup employees; 20 percent worked at a larger or middle-market company; 20 percent worked at a different venture capital firm, and 19 percent worked at a law firm, consulting firm or investment bank.