<p>Faculty connections can overcome where one earns an undergraduate degree. I became well known to a faculty member at UChicago where I earned a Ph.D. after never finishing at a traditional 4 year college (I had flunked out of a 5th tier, at best, college; but subsequently was awarded a "life-experience" degree), and gained admission, while a friend from Duke with very high scores a very good recommendations was not admitted.</p>
<p>The moral: If you really want to go some place, visit the campus, meet faculty, and sit in on classes (I did for two consecutive quarters).</p>