<p>OK, I get it Ivy league is a "big" deal. But really, do u think Penn state which costs $400,000 is really worth it as to going to a college like Rutgers for $40,000. Please give me reasons as to why an Ivy is worth it or not. I am interested to find good responses and arguments. </p>
<p>I believe you are referring to UPenn, not Penn State. Some students do, yes, care about the perceived prestige of the Ivy League schools. Others fall in love with a school, in terms of atmosphere, location, and programs, and this school just happens to be an Ivy League school. Additionally, finances are not a problem for some. And I am not just referring to the extremely wealthy. Don’t be turned away by a school’s advertised price without running a net price calculator first. You may be able to receive a great deal of need-based aid, and an Ivy League may end up being just as affordable as a public university. Finally, Ivy League schools do have top programs in many areas of study and may be excellent choices for one’s chosen career path.</p>
<p>There are many reasons one might chose to attend an Ivy League school. There are also many reasons why one might chose an Ivy for grad school only. There are many reasons why one may not be interested in or choose not to attend an Ivy League school at all. The Ivies are just like any other schools in that they have their benefits and drawbacks and may be good matches for some students while being poor choices for others.</p>
<p>There have been a couple of threads started on this the most recent being:</p>
<p><a href=“Why do you want to go to an Ivy League school? - College Search & Selection - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1660399-why-do-you-want-to-go-to-an-ivy-league-school.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“Why do you want to go to an Ivy league school? - High School Life - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/971487-why-do-you-want-to-go-to-an-ivy-league-school.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“Why do people want to go to Ivy League schools? - High School Life - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/960688-why-do-people-want-to-go-to-ivy-league-schools.html</a></p>
<p>They tend to provide good financial aid due to their large endowments which can be a draw for the families that need it. At those institutions, students often also have unparalleled interaction with professors and opportunities after graduations. Now, are there better schools out there that are in some cases better (or at least more affordable)? Yes. You should never just apply to the ivies just for the sake of the name alone, doing more research will benefit you in the long run. It is an athletic conference after alll…</p>
<p>UPenn COA is approx 65k per year. Rutgers OOS COA is 40k per year. InState COA is approx 15k. If you are comparing the InState COA of Rutgers to UPenn then, yes, there is an enormous gap and you should rightly look at whether that scenario is worth it to you and your situation.</p>
<p>I personally want to go to a well-endowed school, such as an ivy, because they seem to have much more opportunities. There’s just money everywhere, for research, activities, etc. (I don’t know the specifics yet for Ivy League schools, but this is the case at most schools with a strong alumni base-Caltech has a budget devoted entirely to pranks). Public schools, however, are constantly under budgeted as well as huge, so there’s just so much competition for so little money. Plus, elite institutions tend to attract more accomplished professors, and while that may not correlate to teaching ability the opportunity to work under world-class faculty is tempting to many. The Ivies also work to help people graduate debt-free. State schools may still be cheaper for some, but OOS tuition for a public is probably more expensive for many people than that at an Ivy, and many states don’t have a very good in-state public school system. I’m sure a lot of people also care about who they’re surrounded by at school, and many kids want to be around other smart, accomplished people.</p>
<p>Oh, and having some of the best alumni networks in the country sure doesn’t hurt.</p>
<p>For clarity, there is no way I’m applying to every single Ivy, but I definitely will apply to a few that I feel are a good fit for me.</p>
<p>Ivies offer great financial aid, even if your income bracket is 150K+ they will still give you assistance. The networking and educational opportunities they offer is unparalleled (along with other top colleges like MIT, Duke, etc) and a degree from an Ivy school will make you stand out especially in business/finance. Also, don’t forget that many parents are willing to pay for their child’s Ivy education so the student graduates with very little debt.</p>
<p>Yup. My daughter’s total COA at Harvard (including books, travel, and a generous allowance for expenses) will be roughly what she’d pay for room and board alone at her state flagship, which offers academic scholarships for tuition only.</p>
<p>On top of that, let’s throw in just the Widener library, and why wouldn’t she go?</p>
<p>@lanflan
Not necessarily true. According to students, Stanford, Chicago, College of Wooster, William & Mary, Smith, and Santa Clara U all have smarter professors than those at any of the ivy leagues. Also, if you think that you will be more inclined to get a full time job JUST because you are an UNDERGRADUATE Ivy League alum, you are sadly mistaken. 1) Internships and field experience is what prepares you for the job world. 2) Undergraduate degrees mean nothing when it comes to most jobs. Graduate degrees are what matters and it makes 10000 times more to save all that money for grad school. </p>