The true value of an Ivy education

Audrey Strauss / The Samohi

To thousands of high school students across America, an Ivy League education is the equivalent of a lucid dream. The aura of its prestige and the alumni revered by each school makes it easier to be drawn towards the East Coast. However, there are mixed opinions today on what an Ivy League education can offer in contrast to what it may have previously. 

 The Ivy League as we know it today was officially founded in 1954. The etymology of the word itself, however, dates back to an issue of the Christian Science Monitor on Feb. 7, 1935, which is where the word “Ivy League” was first mentioned. It was originally used to describe East Coast universities with roots in the colonial era alongside the Military Academy and Naval Academy but was ultimately whittled down to eight schools: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia and Cornell. These eight schools all make up the American Collegiate Athletic Conference and are generally considered as some of the most prestigious and selective universities in the U.S.  

The already low acceptance rates of Ivy League schools have dwindled down even more due to an increase in applications, according to a 2023 study conducted by Crimson Education. Harvard’s acceptance rate is 3.4 percent, Columbia’s is 3.9 percent , Princeton’s is 4 percent, UPenn’s is 4.1 percent , Yale’s is 4.3 percent, Brown’s is 5.1 percent, Dartmouth’s is 6 percent and Cornell’s is 8 percent. Some of these school’s admissions systems have been criticized for allegedly prioritizing legacy applicants and lacking in diversity. These issues, however, are not limited to the Ivy League schools but any highly esteemed universities across the country. 

Arguably one of the greatest benefits of going to an Ivy League school is the opportunity to make connections for future jobs. With the schools holding such elite status and having a concentration of renowned professors and programs, students have a high chance of getting post-grad jobs or internships. Compared to distinguished public universities, Ivy League schools, which are all private, receive large endowments from successful alumni. These grants afford the universities the best facilities and resources. 

Regardless of these benefits, however, Samo college counselor Julie Honda highlights that attending an Ivy League school does not immediately guarantee career success without personal effort from the student. 

“I think that the outcome of how far the Ivy League prestige can take you depends on the student,” Honda said.

The glory of the Ivy League is justified in many ways; from its academic rigor and career benefits to its history and elite status. For any prospective college applicant, the Ivy League schools should not be overlooked; but other universities should not either. Many other public universities such as the UC schools offer comparatively great programs.

“I think every institution should be glorified in its way,” Honda said, “The Ivy League could be glorified because they’ve been well known and have been around for a while but I think each college should be glorified because of what they individually offer to each student.”