<p>So if I read this thread correctly, we all agree on two points.</p>
<p>There are some advantages to being the very top student at a less competitive university. Conversely, there are also some advantages to being surrounded by other also-talented people.</p>
<p>My argument is that the first set is *not more than<a href=“maybe%20equal%20to”>/I</a> the advantages posed by the second set.</p>
<p>My reasoning is actually rather simple. Based on graphs and other objective, generalized data such as the USN quartiles, 3.8 seems to be approximately what it takes to get into YLS without any of the “networking” advantages you mention. 3.8 from Yale College is approximately top 20% or so. That’s high, but it’s not nearly the top 5-10% you’re mentioning.</p>