<p>Your notions about the ivy league is based on a culture that no longer exists. The club culture, wherein any student at the ivy league was a member of the blue-blooded east cost elite no longer exists. Harvard’s notable political alumni were a member of that clique, a clique whose membership is beyond your reach. So if seek to ligitimize yourself through membership at any “elite” university you are decieving yourself.</p>
<p>The issue of financial reward is a contentious one and it has been argued by another study that I examined that an ivy league education only benefits certain disenfranchised groups. I suspect that the ivy league no longer offers the connections it once did and therefore quality of education supercedes reputation in terms of importance. Certainly prestige helps during your first job application but after that its importance declines. I suspect that a much better education could be had at Caltech or MIT for science, and small LACs for arts. Did you know that the word prestige is derived from a latin root meaning trick or trickery.</p>
<p>what exactly are you trying to prove, chrisscarre?
i feel bad even posting cuz it appears most of the kids have chosen to ignore you, but i just wanted to know what you are aiming to show?
blue blood is mostly used as a pejorative term in todays age, so i dont think anyone aspires to the ivies in hopes of becoming a fuzzy little blue blood</p>
<p>so why exactly do you want to attend the ivy league, the caliber of the education? Don't tell me your 19th century notions about prestige didn't factor into your decision</p>
<p>Go away chrisscarre, you're annoying.</p>
<p>The name means plenty, their alumni associations are incredible networks that last for life = prestige is advantageous. Some of us are ambitious, have incredible dreams, and Ivies simply make it that much easier to accomplish them. I'm applying because I'll get an excellent education, be surrounded by people just as motivated as me, and for the two components of prestige listed above. You sound a little harsh and bitter, any particular reason Chrisscarre?</p>
<p>chrisscarre = HYP reject. i'd bet money.</p>
<p>haha, so true</p>
<p>just look at all the harvard rejects bashing harvard on the yale and princeton boards, its cute</p>
<p>STATUS SNEAKERS!!! yes! mine are in Columbia blue</p>
<p>People really need to cut that $hit out. I was deferred, but I'm not sitting here bashing Harvard. Sure, every strong University has its fair share of people seeking elite status, but for because Harvard accepts so few students people love to criticize it as much as possible. Here's one thing that noone will tell you when they say stuff like that about Harvard: They're not basing their arguments on what they've heard from people who actually go to school there. Talk to any undergrad at Harvard and they'll tell you that they love it there. Everyone on this forum and everyone else on the web can say as many bad things as they want, but like someone just said, they're probably just jealous that they didn't get in. Anyways, congrats to the people who got in and don't let these fools make you feel like you;re less than you really are.</p>
<p>Not true, accepted class of 2009 not attending. Going to Caltech.</p>
<p>Assuming I get into caltech.</p>
<p>accepted where?..</p>
<p>If you can get into Harvard, you should be able to get into Caltech.</p>
<p>chrisscarre: Props to you for not going the prestige-whore route, then. (not that I think everyone who goes to Harvard is like that)</p>
<p>hmm..i'm confused..if u feel this way towards ivies..then why would u apply EA/ED to the schools..?</p>
<p>i'm not sure how someone who spells "seekers" incorrectly gets into harvard, but OK. </p>
<p>(misspelling is my pet peeve)</p>
<p>It is possible that the OP is an imposter/troll, ie, a rare but not unknown example of a poster who claims either to attend a school - or to have been accepted at the school but nevertheless snubbed it - who ceaselessly bashes it thereafter.</p>
<p>But it has to be acknowledged that even at Harvard - which has the nation's highest yield rate - one out of five admits chooses to enroll elsewhere. Their motives can vary. </p>
<p>Accepting the OP's claims at face value, he is perhaps a would-be engineer. A fraction of people in this sub-group might prefer MIT, Stanford or even Caltech over Harvard, which has (at present) a much smaller, more restricted engineering program.</p>