<p>The only thing that going to a better school (even a top 20 school) gets you is a slightly better resume, but if someone took the hardest classes, is Summa Cum Laude, was president of a club, etc. and went to a state flagship, and the other person graduated from Harvard with no honors, no clubs, etc. then the Harvard person definitely does not have a better chance. I think the only time the name matters is if you’re trying to be the elite of the elite in a field (i.e. top NY Law firm, Wall Street, etc.) but if you want to be a doctor in Louisville (just using it as an example) going to a nearby school will work fine.</p>