<p>I’m surprised at how few thoughtful responses there have been, as I find the topic interesting. Maybe it takes more than 10 years for a school to become very prestigious, but it will happen for some others. Back in the dark ages when my friends and I were all going to college, there was one family that sent all their kids to Vanderbilt. They were all bright kids who were invovled in ECs, but they were by no means at the top of the class at my very mediocre high school.</p>