<p>“Going to an Ivy does not hurt your chances, as you seem to imply. It’s all about what you do with your educational opportunities and how much you impress your professors as an undergraduate.”</p>
<p>Going to an Ivy MAY hurt you (in the humanities) if your language preparation isn’t as good as those coming from elsewhere, if your real, independent research isn’t as strong (there is nothing like Smith’s STRIDES at any of the Ivies), or if your professors don’t know you really well (i.e., you’re not the very top student, which would be far more common at an Ivy than at either a high-grade LAC, or even a second-tier state university.)</p>
<p>In each case, you can see where the faculty received their undergraduate degrees.</p>