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<p>This is naive if not disingenuous. Name recognition matters A LOT, especially to top students. This is because name recognition has many (tangible and intangible) benefits.</p>
<p>If name recognition were not to matter, as you claim, Rice would be able to “steal” more applicants from other top 20 schools given its cheaper tuition, but it doesn’t. Why do you think? You can argue that either Rice lacks name recognition or it is not as good. So which is it?</p>
<p>That being said, I’d much rather go to a school (Rice) with little to no name recognition than a school (Duke) whose name recognition is derived from basketball.</p>