What's the big deal with Ivy League schools?

College Search & Selection
1

Sometimes it appears that all high school students dream and would do anything to go to an Ivy League school.
This past year I applied to one. My sat score was 2350, achieved in one try. I took 22 AP and IB courses throughout my high school career which doesn’t include the 3 dual enrollment classes I took as well, I achieved an A in every single class I took, ever, meaning I graduated with a 4.0 perfect unweighted GPA. I spent more than a year perfecting my application essays and worked with two of my English teachers, one of whom has two terminal degrees, my college counselor, my parents, and my grandfather, who has written a book, to write and perfect my essays. My English teacher stated that she felt my essay was better quality than those sample essays of students who got in in the past. I completed an internship. I played a varsity sport. I was president of two clubs and treasusrer of two more. I literally had no free time on my hands, some nights I literally took a nap from 3am to 6am, and those are excluding the few all nighters I managed to pull. During the summer when I should’ve have been playing video games or going out with my friends I was taking a dual enrollment class or spending the summer at a college program. I kept telling myself, make sacrifices now and reap the rewards of attending an Ivy school later. As you can see there is nothing I could’ve have possibly have done more to increase my chances of getting in. I should’ve at least impressed someone on the admissions committee. I had a strong academic record, wrote great essays, and had many involvements and activities outside of the classroom.
Well April 1 arrived a few months ago, dubbed “Ivy day” by some as most Ivy schools release their decisions that day. I gave up sooo much of my time, so much… I literally sacrificed every second of my free time. There was one instance where my family went away for the weekend but I stayed home alone to continue being a star student for the admissions committee. And well I opened the notification on the website where they release decisions and well… They basically said Screw you we don’t want you here. They didn’t even have the audacity to say why they rejected all of the work, all of the hours of stress and tension I dedicated just for them. I was in shock and broke down crying. I did all that for nothing? I was literally depressed for about two weeks. I didn’t want to eat. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. My dreams were crushed. All the things I had been fantasizing over that I would do when I studied there suddenly diminished and meant nothing.
When I finally pulled myself together I accepted a full ride to a school ranked in the top 40 by U.S. News. When I visited the school, I suddenly felt so comfortable like I was at a second home. I enjoyed every minute of visiting the campus of the other school I would now attend. I began talking to some faculty and I began realizing that, compared to the faculty I met while visiting the Ivy school I wanted to go to, actually seemed much more insightful and more concerned and dedicated about the students academic success. The extracurricular activities the school offered were much more engaging and livelier than anything found at an Ivy League school.
I contemplated about why I didn’t get in for such a long time that eventually I realized, you know what, all Ivy League schools are the biggest cult on earth. I mean seriously. The people that work and go there think they are so academically and socially superior than the rest of us. They think that it is their duty to go and change the world someday simply because they went to an Ivy League school. They think they will have the best jobs and hold power over the rest of society someday. Well news flash, people who went to the other 3992 colleges in the U.S. And those who decided not to go to college and do something else are also smart and can do amazing things just as well as you can. I realized that why should I spend tens of thousands of dollars going to a school that is just as fake and full of crap as the Kardashians when I can go to a school that provides just as well of an education for FREE. I feel glad that I was rejected and decided to take up this other wonderful offer. I am beyond delighted and I know that i will do great things while in school and after school without a degree from those so called “elite” and “prestigious” institutions.

Sorry for my rant I just had to say this somewhere. How do you guys feel about these schools?

2

You posted earlier that you had a 1970, and then a 2140 SAT. This causes me to question the validity of your entire post.

What do people gain by making this stuff up?

Edit: wow I’ve found that you’ve claimed at least 4 different SAT scores, which go up and then down again. So much for the 2350 first try.

3

Your post is an indirect homage to the colleges that denied you. You seem like you would have accepted one of their offers without hesitation. That is, assuming at least some of what you wrote is true.

4

To answer your initial question…it’s only a big deal if you believe that it is. It is all a matter of perspective.

5

I agree with what merc81 said. After reviewing some of your earlier posts, I saw where you said your SAT Scores were 1970 (1980) and 2140 and that you were doing the Cambridge AICE diploma (Advanced International Certificate of Education), not IB. Something wasn’t adding up when you listed your SAT/GPA data and only applied to ONE Ivy League School. As a High School graduate and soon to be a Freshman (or Junior depending on the number of AP/AICE/Dual Enrollment Credits) at the University of Miami, you should realize that your prior comments are available to all for further scrutiny.

Could you set the record straight, since your credibility is suspect at this stage. By the way, did you attend Fort Lauderdale High School?

6

Sour grapes aren’t appealing.
Neither is fabrication.
Or insecurity, for that matter.

But the academic talent in the US is very deep (at least so far as teaching undergrads is concerned). That point is valid.

7

Maybe they didn’t like that you use “literally” incorrectly. Or “audacity.”

8

According to a Harvard class of 2018 survey, the average freshman applied to 6.7 schools and was accepted to 4.63 schools. So apparently even a typical student enrolled at Harvard was rejected by a couple of colleges.
http://features.thecrimson.com/2014/freshman-survey/admissions/

Whether the OP’s story is completely true or not, it is plausible (likely, even) that someone with all those qualifications would be rejected by at least 1 Ivy League college. The most selective colleges simply don’t have enough places to admit every well-qualified applicant.

9

While your experience does have logic and makes sense, one thing that I do doubt is that you are objectively no questions asked glad that it turned out this way. If you got into let’s say, UPenn or something?, you would be extremely happy that everything went your way due to your hard work. You would feel superior to those who spent their summers playing video games and hanging with friends because you got something that is normally unachievable by most.

10

The OP is definitely not an Ivy League-worthy prank/hoax.
grin

11

I just feel good that my ivy-bound son will not have OP as his classmate.

12

All these flavors and you choose to be salty.

I don’t think everyone should have their sights set on the Ivy League, because the atmospheres of the various schools certainly aren’t for everybody. And a full ride somewhere is definitely very appealing compared to spending tens of thousands of dollars. But come on. It’s a sports conference. No need to be so hostile. You applied to a school that happened to be very selective and happened to be in the Ivy League, and you got rejected. Which sucks. But it seems to me that if you had been accepted, you would have eagerly attended, in which case YOU would be the target of some other kid’s rage, and you would be referred to as elitist and fake and superior.

13

Based on your post, we are academically and socially superior. So neh.

Seriously, if they don’t want YOU, then there is something wrong with THEM? Something that apparently you DIDN’T realize when you were breaking your back filling out their applications?

Be careful in relationships, that attitude is setting you up for failure.

14

Applying to ONE school and complaining about a rejection?

Btw, if your English teacher said you wrote a great essay and you submitted it to a highly selective college, you have have not read any advice on CC.