I remember our NY sales guy's saga trying to get his kid into a desirable Manhattan preschool. The tests they put the 4 year old through sounded rougher than anything I had to go through to get into grad school...

Yet, I have never met a family whose kid I'd expect would go to one of the top preschools in NYC, whose kid did NOT go to one of those schools... There seems to be ample supply of top tier schools in NYC, but only eight Ivies.

It probably has a lot to do with the fact that most parents are either (a) in denial about their little toddler's abilities/potential or (b) trying to get their kid on what they believe the first entrance to the "path of success" because their elite colleagues are doing the same. However, by the time the applicants grow up and are at the stage of college applications, they are well more aware of their capabilities.

basically less "unqualified" people are applying to Harvard than Manhattan preschools.

But these are my assumptions as I didn't attend either.