Post #101, the answer would be very lawyer-like: it really depends - on the field and especially on the industry connections of the specific PI and the research department in general. If she is not going to pursue a career in academia, she does not need a PhD from an Ivy League school to do well in pharma/biotech, although I am aware of a tiny handful of companies do like to hire those grads exclusively. At the other end of the spectrum there are industry folks who think that a new Ivy grad would be a bit more high maintenance and would demand promotions and move up the career ladder too quickly. What really matters for that first position is how well her technical skills and research track record fit the need of the hiring company. I will add more thoughts when I get a hold of my computer - typing on the iPhone is a PITA. 