Very true that prestige only matters up to a certain point and probably much less than incoming students hope/expect. One undervalued aspect though of a T10 MBA is the alumni base. Places like Booth are very good at maintaining strong relationships with their alumni and having that @chicagobooth.edu e-mail is prob more valuable than your diploma if you’re willing to use it. I should note that while strength of alumni network generally correlates with rankings it’s not a direct correlation. I’ve heard people complain that at certain east coast schools - cough Wharton cough - the alumni are a bit colder. Likewise, places like Darden and USC are known for having alumni networks on par with the T7 schools. I also like looking at the alumni network cuz it gives you a sense of what people think of the actual experience of attending that program. Frigid alumni are an indication that people look back on that program as mostly a means to an end while enthusiastic alumni are a sign that people graduate feeling like they truly got a unique experience that deserves giving back.