<p>Harvard is a great school but there is a perception that it is the school that makes the student not the student that makes the school. While many of the best and brightest congregate at HYPSM what of those who do well enough to get in but choose not to go? </p>
<p>Krueger and Dale did a study 10 years ago and found that based upon current salary information those that were accepted to Ivy League schools but chose to go to lower ranked schools did as well as those that graduated from Ivy League schools.</p>
<p>It really comes down to the student and their motivation. HBS will take a student at the top of their class at the University of Virginia before someone who graduated in the bottom 50% of their class at Harvard.</p>
<p>I guess my point is, once you are in to any school you need to work hard to distinguish yourself otherwise you will lose the benefit of what any school has to offer you, Harvard or otherwise.</p>
<p>The actual Krueger & Dale study is available for download for a fee. Here is a link to an article on the Krueger & Dale study from the Dartmouth Review:</p>