Here in California, there’s not that much of a culture thinking about the ivies or really any schools in the east. in good part that’s because of our extraordinary public college and university system, though those will go down the tubes if the governor doesn’t start funding them better. My two older kids went to cal (UC Berkeley) and the youngest just was admitted. she’s also applying to some ivies etc., and we’ll see what happens but…Cal is a great, rigorous school full of very bright people, in a lively, charming if slightly nutsoid town with views across the bay, great public transit and a quick BART ride from San Francisco, all for $13,000 in tuition and fees. Plenty of other terrific UC schools. So why would most students pay $30K more per year in tuition to go Ivy?