<p>“1. Harvard has the greatest prestige, it is widely accepted as the top university in the world. Whatever country you go to, everyone will recognize Harvard.” - Sirensong</p>
<p>This is probably the best reason. For whatever reason Harvard has accumulated a reputation around the world as being the best. Although there are some who may not agree they are in fact the minority.
Wherever you go people will know the name ‘Harvard’ it instills a kind of awe in people. People just know it the same way they know e=mc^2. Although they may not understand why.
Living overseas I can say that everyone (I really mean that) knows Harvard whereas not everyone knows Yale or Princeton.
We can argue about whether it is actually the best and I’m sure people would make valid points for and against, but I think that this universal recognition is what makes Harvard #1.</p>
<p>By the way Brown is #1 :p!</p>