Comments on: Why Are All of the Best and Brightest Going to the Northeast? http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/ The thoughts and experiences of Merrill Dubrow Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:43:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Merrill Dubrow http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19879 Merrill Dubrow Thu, 26 Jul 2007 15:16:29 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19879 Anne, Interesting comment. I hadn't thought about that but I guess it makes sense. I wonder why that isn't a strategy in schools located in different parts of the United States. Thanks. Merrill Anne,

Interesting comment. I hadn’t thought about that but I guess it makes sense.

I wonder why that isn’t a strategy in schools located in different parts of the United States.

Thanks.

Merrill

]]> By: Anne Berman http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19871 Anne Berman Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:15:00 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19871 These top students are being actively recruited. The private NE schools are looking to develop international and national brands - The Harvards, Tufts, Boston Colleges, etc. are actively recruiting both nationally and internationally. An increasing and significant number of the freshman slots are going to international students; and as one admissions director told me, a teenager from the South has an easier time gaining admissions to Harvard than a local student because of geographic diversity. These top students are being actively recruited. The private NE schools are looking to develop international and national brands - The Harvards, Tufts, Boston Colleges, etc. are actively recruiting both nationally and internationally. An increasing and significant number of the freshman slots are going to international students; and as one admissions director told me, a teenager from the South has an easier time gaining admissions to Harvard than a local student because of geographic diversity.

]]> By: Will Morris http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19759 Will Morris Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:11:06 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19759 All of the schools are hard to get into and my guess is that many of those who chose Harvard were also accepted by one or more of the other schools as well. Based purely on reputation, Harvard is in a class by itself. I doubt it is that far superior academically, but it's brand is beyond compare. There may also be a certain arrogance attached to being accepted by Harvard. All of the schools are hard to get into and my guess is that many of those who chose Harvard were also accepted by one or more of the other schools as well. Based purely on reputation, Harvard is in a class by itself. I doubt it is that far superior academically, but it’s brand is beyond compare. There may also be a certain arrogance attached to being accepted by Harvard.

]]> By: Merrill Dubrow http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19482 Merrill Dubrow Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:39:16 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19482 Bob, I agree that Harvard has a very strong brand. But I was surprised that it was across the board. I would have thought Stanford or other California schools had a stronger brand for people living on the west coast. Apparently everyone wants to go to Harvard and really has out distanced the other top schools. It is almost like Harvard and than everyone else. That was a surprising take away from me. Merrill Bob,

I agree that Harvard has a very strong brand. But I was surprised that it was across the board. I would have thought Stanford or other California schools had a stronger brand for people living on the west coast.

Apparently everyone wants to go to Harvard and really has out distanced the other top schools. It is almost like Harvard and than everyone else.

That was a surprising take away from me.

Merrill

]]> By: Ed Sugar http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19477 Ed Sugar Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:54:36 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19477 I am surprised no one has posted a response to your question. Obviously Harvard has done an excellent job of doing something everyone in marketing research tells their clients to do: build and protect your brand equity. Along with Columbia and U of Penn., Cornell and Dartmouth failed to leveraged their Ivy League status. Also missing from the list is MIT. I am surprised no one has posted a response to your question. Obviously Harvard has done an excellent job of doing something everyone in marketing research tells their clients to do: build and protect your brand equity. Along with Columbia and U of Penn., Cornell and Dartmouth failed to leveraged their Ivy League status. Also missing from the list is MIT.

]]> By: Bob Graham http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19460 Bob Graham Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:37:33 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/07/18/why-are-all-of-the-best-and-brightest-going-to-the-northeast/#comment-19460 I think there is a very simple answer: Harvard is a very strong brand. It has worldwide recognition and is perhaps the strongest educational brand in the world (along with Oxford). You could make a similar case for branding about all of the other schools mentioned: I think they are all established brands, but Harvard is definitely the strongest. It's so strong that it transcends the Education category and is associated with excellence--king of the hill, top of the heap (Dubya's MBA notwithstanding). Some schools even try to trade off of its reputation: SMU likes to think of itself as "the Harvard of the South" (yeah, right). I'm surprised that MIT wasn't on the list and surprised that Boston College was (although I suspect that the student who chose BC was catholic and chose the school because of it's affiliation with the Catholic Church--just a hunch, I have no facts to back that up). But, ya know, Harvard's Football team still can't beat UMASS... I think there is a very simple answer: Harvard is a very strong brand. It has worldwide recognition and is perhaps the strongest educational brand in the world (along with Oxford).

You could make a similar case for branding about all of the other schools mentioned: I think they are all established brands, but Harvard is definitely the strongest. It’s so strong that it transcends the Education category and is associated with excellence–king of the hill, top of the heap (Dubya’s MBA notwithstanding). Some schools even try to trade off of its reputation: SMU likes to think of itself as “the Harvard of the South” (yeah, right).

I’m surprised that MIT wasn’t on the list and surprised that Boston College was (although I suspect that the student who chose BC was catholic and chose the school because of it’s affiliation with the Catholic Church–just a hunch, I have no facts to back that up).

But, ya know, Harvard’s Football team still can’t beat UMASS…

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