I often ask myself, “Is an Ivy league education worthwhile?” It is no surprise that every bright and brilliant student dreams of getting an Ivy League education. Some students make the goal of their life to attend an Ivy institution. As a high school graduate myself, I am no different and I certainly dream to quench my thirst of knowledge in Ivy League.
But we do know “No good thing can be achieved easily”, don’t we?
Out of almost 265,000 applicants across 8 Ivy League universities, approximately, 13,000 are admitted each year. Those statistics make the acceptance rate of Ivy League colleges about 5%. In other words, Ivy League colleges are the hardest colleges to get into. So, the question arises, what makes Ivy League colleges so special and is it really worthwhile to get an Ivy League education?
Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising sports teams from eight private universities in the Northeastern United States. It comprises of Harvard University, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Brown University and Cornell University.
Ever since it was formed in 1945, Ivy League has become the most esteemed and elite group of universities whose graduates have not only been successful but also made a significant impact in the world. Furthermore, Ivy League universities share 92 Nobel laureates amongst them.
Famous for its highly intellectual teaching faculty, world-class education and well-equipped research labs, it is definitely a no-brainer to pursue the dream of Ivy League Education.
Now, let’s come to our main question, is an Ivy League education worthwhile?
Driven by my curiosity, I did my research on these universities and stumbled upon various facts and figures that make these groups of universities so good. Here are some of the major points that make Ivy League universities stand out from other universities:
Highly Intellectual Teaching Faculty
Ivy League has the group of highly intellectual and some of the smartest people on the planet in their teaching faculty. As mentioned earlier, 92 Nobel Laureates amongst 8 universities is not the fact we can neglect.
The brilliance of Ivy League professors and to get a chance to be taught by them certainly has to be one of the major contributing factors that attract students towards Ivy League.
Ivy League Financial Aid
In many cases, money always acts as a barrier between the students and the dream education. I have heard many stories of other students who stopped to pursue education due to financial reasons. But when you get admitted into Ivy League universities, you need not worry about that.
Universities like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, etc. actually promise to meet the required financial need of all the admitted students. Moreover, families with an income of less $60,000 p.a. don’t have to spend a single penny on their child’s education.
During my research, I found this to be one of the most convincing reasons why students tend to prefer Ivy League universities.
Ivy League Environment
A Professor who worked on a non-ivy league college and an Ivy League college state his experiences this way, “Ivy League takes care of its students. When a quadriplegic student got into Harvard, Harvard moved her mom in with her. When my little brother needed expensive tutoring for his dyslexia, Yale gave us a few hundred dollars of extra financial aid. Yale’s health plan didn’t cover bone marrow biopsies, but when it looked like I needed one, I was assured it would be covered.”
So, we can assume that, apart from getting the opportunity to learn from some of the smartest people on the planet, Ivy League Universities also cares for its students and assists them in the hardships that come along the way. Similarly, a student can not only immerse in rigorous learning and meet interesting people from around the world but also get parent-like warmth from the college administration; a quality that is seldom found in other universities.
Job Prospects
A recent list released by Payscale states that Ivy League graduates earn one of the highest salaries in the United States. Graduates from universities like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and UPenn have the starting salary well over $60,000, which falls amongst the highest in the country.
In addition, Ivy League graduates are one of the most successful graduates in the country. According to recent data published by CNBC, Ivy League has awarded degree to almost 300 students who have now become billionaires. Furthermore, this fact not only proves Ivy League shapes students to become successful but also gives outstanding resources and platform for newly-graduated to head start their professional career.
World-Renowned Alumnus
Ivy League universities have a long history of producing world-renowned scientists, politicians, actors, singers and other celebrities who made a significant positive impact on people around them or, in some cases, the world.
This is also one of the major factors that attract students from all over the world to the Ivy League. When one joins Ivy League, it is certain that he/she is sharing the class with students who can later become a big deal. And, who would not want to be friends with geniuses, right? I know I would.
However, it is not only about being friends with geniuses, maybe with the right level of determination and hard work, but there is also a good chance we too would become someone great.
In a nutshell, for the question “Is an Ivy league education worthwhile?” I find it safe to conclude that an Ivy League degree is definitely worthwhile. These institutions provide students with all the resources necessary to help build them into an outstanding human being. However, it is also important to note that, while just getting an Ivy League degree cannot guarantee success in life but with the right motivation and vision it is not far from possible.