A 2019, peer reviewed sociological study examined how Harvard and Stanford undergraduates define the differences between their schools and other elite universities. (Amy J. Binder and Andrea R. Abel, "Symbolically Maintained Inequality: How Harvard and Stanford Students Construct Boundaries Among Elite Universities," Sociology of Education, Vol. 19, Issue 1, 2019, p. 13, https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040718821073).
It might be interesting to read what the study reveals about Harvard and Stanford undergrads' views of Chicago (obviously these are the students' views, and the conclusions are those of the authors, not my own):
"The University of Chicago was the campus that students most frequently mentioned as representing a pure experience in intellectualism. Harvard's Kevin summed it up when he said: 'Harvard kids are scared of the Chicago kids because the Chicago kids really are intellectuals and they really love learning (laughs)' ...By contrast, he said, 'the Harvard students are great at maximizing outcomes...really good at playing the system...building a more complete package.' If Chicago scored points as an academically superior campus, many interviewees simultaneously lowered its status for not offering a social experience that could benefit them...The University of Chicago was an interesting institution that Harvard and Stanford interviewees used to sort out status differences. On the one hand, participants understood that the University of Chicago offered a more classically rigorous curriculum than their own schools did. On the other hand, it was not good enough to attend." (p. 11)
It might be interesting to read what the study reveals about Harvard and Stanford undergrads' views of Chicago (obviously these are the students' views, and the conclusions are those of the authors, not my own):
"The University of Chicago was the campus that students most frequently mentioned as representing a pure experience in intellectualism. Harvard's Kevin summed it up when he said: 'Harvard kids are scared of the Chicago kids because the Chicago kids really are intellectuals and they really love learning (laughs)' ...By contrast, he said, 'the Harvard students are great at maximizing outcomes...really good at playing the system...building a more complete package.' If Chicago scored points as an academically superior campus, many interviewees simultaneously lowered its status for not offering a social experience that could benefit them...The University of Chicago was an interesting institution that Harvard and Stanford interviewees used to sort out status differences. On the one hand, participants understood that the University of Chicago offered a more classically rigorous curriculum than their own schools did. On the other hand, it was not good enough to attend." (p. 11)