<p>Probably not. Of course, it depends upon which programs you are talking about. Just because a graduate program is at an Ivy League or other top university doesn’t mean the particular program is first rate. Some are, some aren’t. For example, the 5 top Master’s programs in international studies are Johns Hopkins SAIS, Georgetown’s SFS, Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School, Columbia’s SPIA, and Tuft’s Fletcher School. Harvard’s Kennedy School is generally put below those, as are GW’s Elliot School and AU’s SIS. Brown is not even on the radar screen.</p>
<p>BTW, the Watson Institute at Brown is just a research center–it doesn’t offer degrees although some Watson faculty have joint appointments with departments that do offer degrees.</p>
<p>If you are applying to a graduate program or law school of an Ivy–statistics would suggest that there is an advantage in having your undergraduate degree from an Ivy. But certainly, a degree from UNC or Georgetown is not going to put you at a significant disadvantage. Law schools in particular are largely numbers driven–GPA and LSAT counts much more than which undergraduate school. Master’s programs are also numbers driven. PhD programs are different, and undergraduate school seems to mean more. Sometimes the most important factor in PhD admissions is who your recommendations come from–and how close those recommenders are to faculty in the program you are applying for.</p>