"If Harvard stopped looking at grades and sat scores and instead just picked 400 people at random the degree would be worthless." This would not be the case if

"If Harvard stopped looking at grades and sat scores and instead just picked 400 people at random the degree would be worthless." This would not be the case if either: A. There are high standards for graduation, OR B. Attending Harvard for 4 years makes you more capable. If you're suggesting that 400 applicants picked at random would all graduate, then maybe the standards need to be raised. If the degree signals only that you were good enough to get in, then the 4 year gap between matriculation and graduation seems like waste.