<p>@mathboy: Most of the people, at least from my experience, that apply to HYPSM (all of them of course, and all the other ivies along with them) are just doing it because they think they ‘belong’ there. It’s a ‘i’m “at the top” so I should be with others “at the top”’ thing. It has nothing to do with ‘fit’. There are many, many non-Ivy schools with competitive or even BETTER facilities for specific majors. These people mostly want the ‘name’, the bragging rights, their ‘entitlement’. </p>
<p>If people applied to schools based on academic quality for their interests, the Ivies wouldn’t be such a big deal.
I think everyone who thinks they have a shot and really desire to go to an Ivy League school should apply. But, if they get rejected, just move on. Life isn’t always fair and if you really can’t STAND going to Duke (<em>shudders at the thought!</em>) then you can just transfer.</p>