I’ve heard a few teachers/college counselors in my high school say that going to an Ivy for undergraduate studies is not worth it. Instead, they suggest applying to an Ivy for graduate school. I’d like to hear your opinions on this.
League*
Some would say that becoming a high school teacher is not worth it. People have different opinions about lots of things. 
The opinion that Ivies aren’t that great for college is one shared by some here on CC, but many others disagree. Do a search for Malcolm Gladwell and William Deresiewicz; there’s been some very long threads that have beaten this topic to death.
The Ivies have a few features in common – they’re all very old private universities located in the northeast (7/8 were founded prior to American independence), have strong academics, offer generous financial aid, and play in the same DI athletic conference. Otherwise they vary significantly in size, location, academic schedule, graduation requirements, and campus atmosphere/“feel.” It’s best to consider each Ivy on its own merits.
There’s many good schools out there besides the Ivies, some of which may be a lot cheaper and/or a better fit for you – some big, some tiny, some public, some private. Start by figuring out what you want in a college. If you don’t know what you want, start by visiting colleges in your area to figure out what you like and don’t like in a college. (Greek life prevalent or nonexistent? Small classes as the norm or big classes where you can fade into the background? Bustling city or scenic rural setting? Any interest in subjects like architecture or nursing that most Ivies don’t offer?)
If your family’s income means you have to pay full price, it might not be worth it. But Ivies give good financial aid – even for middle income families, the cost can be cheaper than your state university. Do some more research. Don’t settle for sweeping generalizations.
It’s hyperbole. But whether Ivy League is worth the stress is another matter.
“Not worth it?” Well…if you come from a low income family and receive a very generous aid offer from an Ivy League school…that is “worth” it. If you are a full pay student from a not-really-rich family…then it may not be “worth it”. The Ivy League schools are terrific but all are different institutions. Very few people have the opportunity to attend one, and I would guess that most would deem it “worth it”. I didn’t attend an Ivy, so I really don’t know.
I noticed you have many past threads all dealing with transferring to a Harvard or Standford. Are you a junior in college? You need to move on from this fixation.
Most likely those teachers and counselors had nowhere near the stats to even apply to an Ivy or if they did they were rejected. Sour grapes!
I agree with Tom above, but with most things, it depends on your specific set of circumstances.
I’m not sure why, as reported, your teachers and counselors have identified eight colleges as being, essentially axiomatically, collectively “not worth it” (but with a corollary that they become worth it again for graduate studies). Even as an opinion that could be valid, the narrow categorization offers little information of value. Many schools for certain students may not be worth it, but which colleges are worth it? – that’s what you need to discover.
Whether an Ivy League education is worth it depends on the individual. There are many factors to consider, such as:
- The student's family's financial situation
- The student's cost of attendance (after FA has been factored in)
- The student's alternatives and their cost of attendance
- The student's intended major
- The student's intended career goals
For some, I agree that an Ivy League education may not be optimal. To others, it may be the best option.
Going over your eyeballs in debt for an undergraduate education is a waste whether it is an Ivy or anywhere else. So if that would be your situation, kick the Ivy to the curb, and move on. If you are admitted to a PhD program at an Ivy (or anywhere else for that matter) it should be fully funded. If it isn’t, it is the department’s way of telling you that they think you aren’t really a good candidate. Certain Ivy grad programs that you have to pay for (MBA, MD, Law) may or may not be worth the investment depending on your future goals, and may justify going deeply into debt.
You need to understand that your teachers have dealt with umpteen Ivy-hopefuls over the years, some of whom couldn’t afford the Ivy they were admitted to, and others who were rejected even though they were very good candidates. The wait until grad school message is one you probably have seen here at CC multiple times. Like the teachers we hope that by repeating the message that the Ivies aren’t always the best deal for an individual student, some day the message might sink in for at least one student, and that student won’t spend days/months/years nursing a broken heart.
It depends on what you’re looking for in a college. If you want to go to an Ivy for the sake of going to an Ivy, then yes, it most likely would be a waste. Just like any other college, it can be worth it for some people and not worth it for others.
I’d think it depends on the degree. If you want to go into engineering or cs, you don’t need an Ivy degree. I’m not a teacher, but I’d guess that graduating from an Ivy doesn’t give you a big bump in salary.
If you want to be a big-shot lawyer or management consultant, going to an Ivy would help a lot.