The Ivy League Schools
Everyone's heard of the coveted Ivy League
universities—the supposed top schools in the country. Their
reputation precedes them, and for good cause. The eight
universities that comprise the Ivy League attract many of the
country's top students. They can all provide you with an
outstanding education, generous financial aid packages and much more. But that doesn't mean that
one of these schools is right for you, even if you have the
qualifications to get accepted. And if you are cut out for the
Ivy League, how do you decide between the schools? There are
many factors to consider.
The Ivy League schools have a number of
common traits. They are all long-established private
universities in the Northeastern U.S. They all enjoy substantial
endowments and generous alumni financial support. And they're
all very expensive to attend and very selective when it comes to
admissions. There are also some significant differences between
these schools. Some are in big cities, while others are in small
towns. Some have religious affiliations, some don't. And while
they all excel in many areas, some offer stronger programs in
certain fields than others.
While all these schools deserve their
reputations, you don't need to go to one to get a fantastic
education. There are many universities that offer a lot of the
great qualities that the Ivy League schools have, such as a low
student-to-faculty ratio, high teaching standards, and strong
research support at other schools. And you may be able to get
things at other universities that the Ivy League schools don't
offer. It's possible that none of the Ivy League universities
offer a strong program in your field of interest. For instance,
if you want to be an engineer, you may be better able to find
what you're looking for outside the Ivy League. Only a few of
the Ivy League schools have top-rated engineering programs, and
each is stronger in certain areas of engineering than others.
Another thing that may be important to you in choosing a college
is a warm climate. You certainly won't find that in the Ivy
League.
There's no doubt that going to an Ivy
League school has its advantages. Most employers immediately
recognize the names of these universities, and a degree from one
of them can make your resume stand out. You'll also have access
to a strong alumni network that can prove invaluable in your
career. But these benefits come at a high price. Tuitions at the
Ivy League schools are among the highest in the country. Plus,
the extremely competitive admissions process is likely to bring
you plenty of anxiety.
It's easy to jump on the bandwagon and decide you have to go to
an Ivy League school based solely on its prestige. But you're
not doing yourself justice if you don't consider all your
options. After weighing all the pros and cons, you may decide
that the Ivy League is where you want to be. But you'll feel a
lot more confident in this decision if you consider other
universities, as well, and base your choice on more than the
school's name and reputation.
The eight Ivy League universities are:
Brown University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Harvard University
Princeton University
University of Pennsylvania
Yale University
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