<p>I would imagine it’s a bit easier to get a job interview from a prestigious university. Once you’re in the interview, though, it doesn’t matter whether you’re from Podunk or Harvard, the person who “fits” better will get the job. The only factor that might have some effect is URM status, as companies like to “diversify” their workforce. While it might be easier to get a higher GPA at a lower-ranked school, if you can attend a more prestigious institution, I would go for it. With the exception of law school, graduate and professional schools aren’t stupid. They know that the kid with the 3.5 at a top university could probably maintain a 3.8+ at a low-ranked state school. My pre-med friends here at Emory and my friends at Rice both say that they get “wows” from adcoms if they manage even a 3.5 from these institutions. I can only imagine what someone from Yale or Columbia gets. On top of this, all graduate and professional schools have standardized tests, so as to eliminate these discrepancies. That’s just my two cents.</p>