> I'm less convinced that the undergraduate education at Harvard or Yale is substantially better than, say, the University of Michigan or any other top 20 schoo

> I'm less convinced that the undergraduate education at Harvard or Yale is substantially better than, say, the University of Michigan or any other top 20 school, especially in domains with a relatively standard curriculum like math and physics. I agree with you but would probably go further than other top 20 schools which are also incredibly elite places and exclusive places. I've also heard enough stories about undergraduate math/physics at Harvard that I would be surprised if it were better. They aren't selecting for faculty that necessarily excel in teaching. Sometimes you don't want a Nobel Prize winner to be your introductory teacher, because they might throw out the curriculum and teach whatever they want.