<p>Sorry if this subject has been covered often, but I need to know. People on this forum have been telling me to shoot for higher schools then I have listed, which presents a question. What will I get out of an "ivy league" that I can't get out of a normal university. Please don't denounce me as an idiot, I'm just a curious person. It seems that people in life are quicker to make judgements on you if you say you're from a prestigious school. I've worked hard to get where I am. My parents never went to college (and don't have the money to pay for mine). Is it worth the extra money just to attend an ivy league? Could someone who's graduated from Columbia College give me a description of their experience there? Thanks.</p>
<p>the most important thing about going to an ivy league is the name...as you said people are quick to pass judgment and if an employer sees that you are from an ivy league school he will look at you more favorably. there are also things like better research opportunities and top notch faculty and students on your intellectual level. </p>
<p>if your parents really don't have the money to pay for college (i.e. they make < 50k a year) then it will probably be cheaper to go to an ivy league school with a big endowment that can offer you excellent financial aid. </p>
<p>if you have the qualifications (> 2000 SAT Is and > 700 SAT IIs with good grades taking a rigorous curriculum and good ECs) you should certainly apply to ivy league schools.</p>
<p>There was a study that showed that while yes, people who graduated from Ivies ended up making more money than those who had graduated from state schools, it wasn't because they had graduated from the Ivy, it was because they were accepted in the first place.</p>
<p>For example, they found that if you looked at two people who were accepted to U Penn, but one of them passed up the offer and went to Penn State instead, they ended up making virtually the same amount of lifetime income. So it's not so much about what the school gives to you, it's more about what you bring to the school that ends up making you successful. </p>
<p>Sure, Ivies have great facilities, famous profs (although that doesn't always equal good teachers), and name recognition. But barring a few factors, I think the college experience is more homogenous than what people make it out to be, and it's really about you. If you have Ivy credentials, don't feel like you're necessarily 'wasting your potential' by not going to an Ivy school for whatever reason. It's about you.</p>
<p>In the end, it's all about personality.</p>
<p>I'm applying to a few Ivy's because of their financial aid policies. </p>
<p>FinAid</a> | Answering Your Questions | No Loans for Low Income Students</p>
<p>Take a look at that (a list of colleges that offer no loans) and see if you qualify.</p>
<p>ivy leagues are probably the best, or some of the best, for lower income kids. ivy leagues and other top 15 or so ranked schools are all free for kids who's parents make less than 50k or so.</p>
<p>i know that's why i'm applying to so many ivies; they're all free for me. places like harvard and yale might be a reach, but if i somehow miraculously get in, they're all free for me.</p>
<p>"ivy leagues are probably the best, or some of the best, for lower income kids."</p>
<p>What about going to state (and other) schools that offer full rides. I'm thinking about applying to Case Western Reserve University, Ohio State University - Columbus, University of Dayton, Miami University - Ohio, Ohio University - Athens, Bowling Green State University, and Kent State University. With good grades, test scores, and being an athlete, couldn't I get a full ride to (at least) some of those schools?</p>
<p>"ivy leagues and other top 15 or so ranked schools are all free for kids who's parents make less than 50k or so."</p>
<p>That's great news, it applies to me if your statement is true! Could you verify this please?</p>
<p>Oh, I just read your post Jsternade. This applies to me:</p>
<p>"Replaces loans with grants in the financial aid package."</p>
<p>Other than the money factor, it's all about the brand name and the connections.</p>
<p>like i said ivies are free for you and alot better than places like kent state academically</p>
<p>look there is a debate whether it really matters what school you go too. Some say an Ivy has certain definite advantage others say its all the same if your smart. So why risk it. If your smart enough to get into a top college than why not? Its definitely not going to hurt you and you will be around kids who are smart like you.</p>
<p>How smart do you really have to be to get into an Ivy? Why is your definition of "smart?"
Good grades in high school? Well, a lot of people get good grades in HS and are not accepted. God knows with how easy high schools are in this country, it doesn't take a genius to get good grades.</p>
<p>"If your smart enough to get into a top college than why not?"</p>
<p>You miss out on some college experiences that you probably won't have at any ivy league (non-academic things). I do see your point academically, however. You guys have some good points, keep up the discussion.</p>
<p>Plus, I'm not totally confident I can get into any of the ivy league schools. Applications cost money, something rather sparse.</p>
<p>"Plus, I'm not totally confident I can get into any of the ivy league schools. Applications cost money, something rather sparse."</p>
<p>application fees can be waived, money should not be an issue, if you get in, with that little family income you'll definitely get a full ride with no loans.</p>
<p>The prestige of ivy league universities helps, if you want to compare ivy to other top 15 universities, the differences in prestige between ivy-non-ivy is hardly anything. cornell vs. chicago or NW vs brown, or yale vs. stanford, mit vs. harvard for science or mathematics. </p>
<p>Compare a top 15 to a 25 or 35 and it does begin to make a difference. wake forest, tufts, usc or nyu vs a top 15 for example. So attending a top 15 makes a difference in this respect if you can get in. Definitely don't choose yale over stanford because yale is ivy and stanford is not. People say ivy league either to refer to all the other great acpects of the league of 8 universities, or to refer to any top 15 universities, which is factually incorrect, but is an easy phrase to club elite top universities.</p>
<p>Other than prestige, I'd say you'd be surrounded by smarter/more accomplished kids, which shapes you and drives you to work harder. In general you have better access to academic and career opportunities. Getting into top professional schools, top companies tend to be exclusive when they recruit, you aren't completely disqualified anywhere, but a top private equity company, a top consulting firm or a top hedge fund will be very close to impossible to get into if you aren't at a top school. It's easier at a top school, even when you consider that the competition is greater because they specifically recruit from your campus, have employees who are alumni and know what that garbage on your resume means and usually have closer ties to career services in your school</p>
<p>"The prestige of ivy league universities helps, if you want to compare ivy to other top 15 universities, the differences in prestige between ivy-non-ivy is hardly anything. cornell vs. chicago or NW vs brown, or yale vs. stanford, mit vs. harvard for science or mathematics."</p>
<p>What colleges would you recommend for me to add to my list?</p>
<p>National</a> Universities Rankings - Best Colleges - Education - US News and World Report</p>
<p>Also keep in mind that it's not just about ranking. How well the school fits you is also important to your success in college. I visited Caltech my junior year in high school and HATED it. It's rank is up there but their program just didn't appeal to my interests. So, my best advice to you is to read that list with prudence. </p>
<p>If getting a full ride is a concern, then you should be on the lookout for universities that claim to meet all of your financial need.</p>
<p>we've had this discussion before - usually phrased as "Why would I want to go to Columbia over cheaper options closer to home?". If you dig hard enough you can find the more extensive discussions (and please do post links here if you find them). I'll summarize my point of view here though.</p>
<p>An "Ivy League University", by which I mean any school in the top 10-15 or so (and people will debate endlessly over which schools fall into this category - there's no bright line) generally speaking will provide the following advantages:</p>
<p>1) More rigorous and challenging academic atmosphere. You can learn the typical subject matter for the usual classes at most schools, but only at a few will you be challenged and really enriched by the other students' expertise, insights, and passion. You will also have to compete harder than you ever have in your life, which sounds bad until you realize the value: Doing well at a top school (relative to your peers) may well end up being the hardest thing you ever do in life, and everything will be downhill from there.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Academic passion. Unlike many kids you knew in high school, and the vast majority of the student bodies at most colleges, students at top schools are not (just) there to get drunk - they actually care about what they're studying in many cases. Not infrequently, you will meet someone who, when you get them talking about a particular subject (or even several), their eyes will light up with interest and they'll talk your ear off about physical chemistry or Napoleonic Europe or Dostoevsky or building bridges... and you'll find yourself captivated and wanting to know more, because of their enthusiasm. The % of students who are like that varies among schools - at Columbia i've always estimated it at about 25-30% of the student body - but it will be far higher than at most colleges because such enthusiasm is a large part of what admissions officers at very-competitive colleges are trying to discover and recruit for their student bodies. And that will add value to your experience, because you may find yourself getting more excited about your interests and finding new ways of pursuing them - or catching someone else's bug.</p></li>
<li><p>Alumni Network. Throughout the rest of your life, you will always have an exclusive entree into a community of highly motivated and successful people who went to your top school, and this network can be tremendously valuable. For finding jobs, for meeting new friends and interesting people, for finding business partners or financing for your company, for learning more about the world or areas of interest to you, or for just celebrating your common experiences by going nuts at a football game - all of that makes it easier to achieve what you want to achieve. You will trust and be trusted by your fellow alums much moreso than other random people, and with that typically come all the benefits above.</p></li>
<li><p>Access to highly-competitive careers. Simply put, it's much easier (sometimes much, much, much easier) to get into top law schools, top business schools, top med schools, investment banking, strategy consulting, the music industry, the media industry, or any other very competitive situation, if you come from a top school. Part of that will be "the name", but behind "the name" is the implication (borne of years of managers knowing students from many schools) that if you get someone from a top school, they will work harder and work smarter than most anyone else you can hire. You have that bias in your favor, and if you've made it into the school, you'll likely deliver on that promise too. Similarly, the rigor of the institution you attended counts in your favor when applying to very competitive graduate and professional schools.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Some of the above overlaps with each other, and some of them will apply to a greater or lesser extent depending on who you are and how aggressively you pursue (or need) those benefits... but they're there. And they may not be quantifiable, but everyone who attends those universities will tell you about them if you phrase the question in the right way.</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Some great points Denzera!</p>
<p>The HARD part is getting in. From there, it's up to you to make the experience worthwhile. As long as the school holds your interests, that's the main goal of that journey.</p>