Harvard is just another university, generally no better than a significant percentage of state schools. It's not a meritocracy, therefore they don't 'select for the best'. They often select for the most unethical - as in fudging or over interpreting/expressing data in order to publish or get funding. It happens in all universities, but bigger egos, the more aggressive, and those more willing to 'really bend the rules' tend to be significantly overrepresented at 'name' universities. Once we have expanded online learning, and people from Harvard and the University of Kansas, AND those who got their degrees from home while working ALL have to take the same post-education testing to prove what they've learned, I absolutely guarantee that the stature of 'name' universities will be dramatically diminished.
I have a hard-earned Ph.D. from Harvard in science! So I resisist all those who work to cheapen and/or corrupt Harvard and its good name. That even includes entire Harvard schools, especially the bogus, corrupt, ur-globalist Kennedy School of Government!!!!
The new Harvard engineering school (https://www.seas.harvard.edu), however, appears to be a worthy addition to Harvard and to the world!
Yes, there are state schools and other private schools that are centers of excellence, including some that are far away from Cambridge/Boston and from the West Coast. But Harvard has traditionally been a leader in educational excellence, including encouraging these other universities.
Unfortunately, Harvard is STILL a leader—but now a leader in political correctness, the Third World invasion of the West, the LGBTQQ poison, “diversity”, feminazism, and other modern-day horrors. The Hillary/Halfbright/Maura-Healy-Gay “honor” is part and parcel of all of this. It’s time for that to change!!!!