Is Attending an Ivy League Worth It?
The Ivy League universities are some of the most exclusive and expensive colleges in the country, but they’re worth it in the long run!
Students will have access to amazing classmates, professors, and resources!
They have a huge network that will give you a head start in your future career!
They offer more financial aid to get around that huge tuition price tag than you think!
Should you apply to the Ivy League schools?
Whenever anyone thinks about college, one thought that pops up is “Ivy League”. Everyone has heard of the Ivy League, which is comprised of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale.
These schools share many of the same advantages such as top-tier academics, but also many of the same disadvantages like their low acceptance rates and a big price tag.
The time, money, and effort that goes into applying and attending these schools can be hefty and can leave people considering if attaining a degree from Harvard or Yale is worth the cost.
The answer is definitely yes. In this post, we’ll lay out some of the long-term benefits of attending an Ivy League school!
Academic Resources
First and foremost, students go to college for education, and the Ivy League schools offer some of the top classes, faculty, and academic resources to cultivate rich learning communities.
The Ivy League universities’ low acceptance rates result in a campus full of students who are intelligent, eager to learn, and very engaged within their communities. Students can also attend a variety of classes and seminars taught by top faculty members who are often accomplished researchers, performers, and academics in their fields.
The Ivy League schools have a notably smaller student-to-teacher ratio, which means more individual personal attention on you and the chance to develop strong one-on-one relationships with fellow students, professors, and more!
Additionally, Ivy League universities have a tremendous amount of resources. Due to a big budget from large endowments, they can afford to offer high-tech laboratories, huge libraries, and most importantly, the high-quality personal support you may need when considering classes, academic programs, majors, and even your future career.
With a remarkable student body and staff as well as a host of amazing resources, students at Ivy League universities have a multitude of possibilities at their fingertips and the chance to have amazing academic and social experiences!
Name recognition
The name of an Ivy League will open a lot of doors during your college career and even after you graduate!
Each Ivy League school has an extensive alumni network and strong career development resources that can lead to amazing internships, mentorships, and other opportunities that all share the common umbrella of being associated with Yale, Harvard, or Princeton. While attending an Ivy League school is not the only way to gain professional opportunities and mentors, it is an entry point to access the people and tools that make developing a strong network a lot easier.
In addition, “the name” of Ivy League schools can be a considerable head start for getting a job Having Harvard or Yale on your diploma and resume can give you a higher chance of getting an interview from a competitive company or being considered by a job recruiter. Using the Princeton alumni network can get you in touch with Princeton alums, parents, and employers eager to hire a new Princeton graduate.
Statistics have also shown that attending an Ivy League has been found to have a clear positive impact on earnings for students right after graduation.
More financial aid than you think!
There is another common barrier to attending an Ivy League beyond getting in: the cost.
The cost to attend Yale (including tuition, fees, and board) is $84K/year. For Harvard, it’s around $79K/year for 2023-2024.
Before you freak out, let’s look at Yale’s average financial aid package. In 2023-2024, 53% of students received financial aid, the average financial aid package was $67K, and the average cost for students receiving aid was $15,000/year.
You’ll find the same pattern among the other Ivy League schools. Many Ivy League schools have large endowments and therefore have the funds to offer generous financial aid policies that bring down the cost significantly to a large percentage of their students.
Additionally, every Ivy League university is need-blind, which means that the ability to pay for college won’t hurt chances for admission!
Final Thoughts
Getting into an Ivy League university is never easy. Even if you get accepted, the time, effort, and cost can be intimidating.
However, if you’re accepted to one of these schools, not only will attending be more affordable than you expected, but you will also have access to a wide range of advantages that will benefit you in your college career and beyond.
For a look into how to tailor your application for Harvard, check out our article here. Additional application tips for Stanford and MIT can be found here and here.
