When it comes to applying for graduate school, there are several factors that can impact an applicant’s chances of getting admitted. While grades, test scores, and letters of recommendation are some of the key components of the application, the identity of the undergraduate university can also carry some weightage.

Different graduate schools might attach different levels of importance to this factor, but in general, the committee is more at ease when the applicant’s undergraduate university is one that they have heard of. This is because the reputation of the university can reflect the quality of education and the rigor of the curriculum, and the committee is likely to be knowledgeable about the reputation of most American universities. However, they might not be acquainted with only a few international institutes.

For instance, it is highly likely that the committee does not easily recognize any college in India apart from the IITs. In such cases, graduate schools usually compile and keep a list of good universities in different parts of the world. This helps the committee to an extent, especially when they are unfamiliar with institutions in international regions. However, the list might not get updated frequently enough to reflect the current state of affairs.

At times, the committee itself can also be a good source of information about different schools since it usually contains a good mix of members from different parts of the globe. Lastly, the committee might resort to doing a web search about the applicant’s university or looking at its website to gauge its reputation.

There might be a few graduate schools where the reputation of the undergraduate college is of utmost importance and can have a direct influence on the admission decision. However, for most schools, it is often not the sole reason for rejection, but can still end up inducing some bias in the reviewer’s mind while evaluating the application.

For instance, if the committee has a tough time making a call on a particular applicant since he/she seems to be just below the mark, the applicant might just end up getting the benefit of the doubt if he/she belongs to a top-rated university. This might not have been the case had the applicant been from a more obscure university.

In summary, while the reputation of the undergraduate university can impact an applicant’s chances of getting admitted, it is not the sole factor that graduate schools consider. It is important for applicants to focus on other components of the application, such as their research experience, essays, and letters of recommendation, to showcase their potential for success in graduate school.