6 answers
Ally
Student
North Ogden, Utah
2
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Does it matter if you go to an ivy league school? #spring25
Isn't education education, no matter where you go?
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6 answers
Nashwat Hussein-Sagaff
CPA
5
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Nashwat’s Answer
An Ivy League education isn't the only path to success. You can achieve your goals no matter which college you choose. Wherever you go, focus on your studies and aim for a good GPA. Make the most of networking events, and join clubs or groups related to your career. Try taking on leadership roles in those groups, too.
Jennifer Bloomquist- CIPP/US/E, CIPM
Risk Specialist for Privacy and Confidentiality Impact Accessments
11
Answers
Clarksville, Tennessee
Updated
Jennifer’s Answer
Ally,
This is a very good question, especially since the answer you get from asking various people can be different. There is not a hard and fast rule/answer. Everything I've read in the answers so far are good answers. I'm going to provide you with a different take so that you get diverse opinions on this. It's a bit like looking into a diamond. Depending on where you are and where the diamond is, how the light hits it makes the diamond glint differently, but all views 360 degrees around the room are still the same diamond.
Point 1) It depends on your career goals and major. Some Ivies specialize in certain majors. If a person doesn't go to an Ivy but intends to get a job in the same city where the Ivy is located or in the general area, the odds of the hiring manager either having gone to the Ivy or being familiar with how others on the team from the Ivy have performed can bias that hiring manager. Hiring managers probably don't know about this hidden bias, but it can be there. The opposite can also be true. If you're trying to find a job in an area where a person could drive for a couple of days and not be anywhere near an Ivy, if most of the applicants for a job are all graduates of a handful of schools, bias can work in your favor because there can be a perception that only the best get into Ivies. A hiring manager could also have a bias against a graduate of an Ivy in that same town/city against an Ivy graduate due to perception that the job candidate has a silver spoon in their mouth.
You'll never know a hiring manager's biases, so I would not make my decision about which school to attend based on other people's potential biases, though it's important to know that these biases potentially exist.
Point 2) Probably one of the most alluring things about Ivies and their equivalents in other areas in the country is having a strong network of people who either went to school together and/or alumni network. Sometimes to get a job, getting one's foot in the door depends on who someone knows rather than what someone knows. I think this is more relevant now due to so many companies using automated systems to weed out candidates for jobs. Having someone in an Ivy network pass a resume on to a hiring manager from someone else who went to that Ivy puts that resume on the hiring manager's stack to at least have a human look at it. The same is true of other colleges and universities, especially smaller schools where everyone more or less knows everyone. Getting your resume on someone's desk is the goal.
I wouldn't make my decision about attending an Ivy rest solely on this "resume on desk" principle because this can also be done by using LinkedIn, for example, to find other people who went to your school or maybe worked a company that you worked at in the past who can pass your resume on. It can be done, it might just take a little more research to find the right person to pass a resume on. Ivy graduates' network is one one network. Building other networks of people can be just as valuable.
Point 3) As others have mentioned, paying back loans on an Ivy vs. a quality state school, private liberal arts school, technical college, or community college + 2 years in a 4 year school are substantially different if funds don't exist to pay tuition outright. It can be easier in some cases to get scholarships because the competition of the top 1 or 2% of students at Ivies can be more competitive. What might get someone a full ride in terms of grades, leadership roles, extracurriculars, etc. an a non-Ivy might not get that same person any scholarship at all at an Ivy.
Point 4) Earning potential, in my opinion, hinges more on what a person studies than where that person goes to college/university, at least at the undergraduate level. A surgeon is always going to earn more money than an elementary teacher. It doesn't matter if the elementary teacher went to an Ivy. The pay band is the same pay band for everyone, regardless of what school is on the teacher's resume**. Where there might be a little bit of difference is if a surgeon did residency or fellowship at a prestigious university hospital or teaches at one. The average Joe doing research for who they want to conduct their surgery will probably Google potential surgeons. The prestigious fellowship or residency matters to some people based on the perception that prestigious institution = better surgeon.
The most important distinction, in my life experience, isn't Ivy vs. non-Ivy. **It's accredited college/university vs. un-accredited college/university. You run pretty serious risks in your career if you graduate from an un-accredited school. Many of them can only offer aid based on donations they've received because most of them don't accept government aid (i.e. what grants and scholarships a person is eligible for based on their FAFSA application). They want to be able to teach what and how they teach without government involvement. For example, if a person qualifies for a subsidized Stafford loan, many unaccredited institutions won't accept the money toward the student's tuition bill. It's also very difficult to get any kind of license granted by the state such as a teaching license, medical license, therapist license, etc. because the degree isn't valid to state boards in many cases.
My final point is that it is possible to get a job at an organization that is Ivy-heavy among that organization's employees. Being one's best self, having good grades, leadership roles, employment history, and expanding one's professional network throughout one's career weigh really heavily with employers once a candidate's resume is actually read. If you are on the fence about whether an Ivy (or Ivy-equivalent in other areas of the country) are for you for any reason, my message is that graduating from any accredited college/university will open doors. Building one's personal brand and knowing how to confidently sell your skills to a future employer opens doors. The employment landscape is like a big room in a building. The room has more than 1 or 2 doors to be able to enter the room. There are many doors. As a student and later as a job applicant, you'll need to discover the doors most suited to you in order to enter the room.
I wish you the best of luck!
Jennifer
This is a very good question, especially since the answer you get from asking various people can be different. There is not a hard and fast rule/answer. Everything I've read in the answers so far are good answers. I'm going to provide you with a different take so that you get diverse opinions on this. It's a bit like looking into a diamond. Depending on where you are and where the diamond is, how the light hits it makes the diamond glint differently, but all views 360 degrees around the room are still the same diamond.
Point 1) It depends on your career goals and major. Some Ivies specialize in certain majors. If a person doesn't go to an Ivy but intends to get a job in the same city where the Ivy is located or in the general area, the odds of the hiring manager either having gone to the Ivy or being familiar with how others on the team from the Ivy have performed can bias that hiring manager. Hiring managers probably don't know about this hidden bias, but it can be there. The opposite can also be true. If you're trying to find a job in an area where a person could drive for a couple of days and not be anywhere near an Ivy, if most of the applicants for a job are all graduates of a handful of schools, bias can work in your favor because there can be a perception that only the best get into Ivies. A hiring manager could also have a bias against a graduate of an Ivy in that same town/city against an Ivy graduate due to perception that the job candidate has a silver spoon in their mouth.
You'll never know a hiring manager's biases, so I would not make my decision about which school to attend based on other people's potential biases, though it's important to know that these biases potentially exist.
Point 2) Probably one of the most alluring things about Ivies and their equivalents in other areas in the country is having a strong network of people who either went to school together and/or alumni network. Sometimes to get a job, getting one's foot in the door depends on who someone knows rather than what someone knows. I think this is more relevant now due to so many companies using automated systems to weed out candidates for jobs. Having someone in an Ivy network pass a resume on to a hiring manager from someone else who went to that Ivy puts that resume on the hiring manager's stack to at least have a human look at it. The same is true of other colleges and universities, especially smaller schools where everyone more or less knows everyone. Getting your resume on someone's desk is the goal.
I wouldn't make my decision about attending an Ivy rest solely on this "resume on desk" principle because this can also be done by using LinkedIn, for example, to find other people who went to your school or maybe worked a company that you worked at in the past who can pass your resume on. It can be done, it might just take a little more research to find the right person to pass a resume on. Ivy graduates' network is one one network. Building other networks of people can be just as valuable.
Point 3) As others have mentioned, paying back loans on an Ivy vs. a quality state school, private liberal arts school, technical college, or community college + 2 years in a 4 year school are substantially different if funds don't exist to pay tuition outright. It can be easier in some cases to get scholarships because the competition of the top 1 or 2% of students at Ivies can be more competitive. What might get someone a full ride in terms of grades, leadership roles, extracurriculars, etc. an a non-Ivy might not get that same person any scholarship at all at an Ivy.
Point 4) Earning potential, in my opinion, hinges more on what a person studies than where that person goes to college/university, at least at the undergraduate level. A surgeon is always going to earn more money than an elementary teacher. It doesn't matter if the elementary teacher went to an Ivy. The pay band is the same pay band for everyone, regardless of what school is on the teacher's resume**. Where there might be a little bit of difference is if a surgeon did residency or fellowship at a prestigious university hospital or teaches at one. The average Joe doing research for who they want to conduct their surgery will probably Google potential surgeons. The prestigious fellowship or residency matters to some people based on the perception that prestigious institution = better surgeon.
The most important distinction, in my life experience, isn't Ivy vs. non-Ivy. **It's accredited college/university vs. un-accredited college/university. You run pretty serious risks in your career if you graduate from an un-accredited school. Many of them can only offer aid based on donations they've received because most of them don't accept government aid (i.e. what grants and scholarships a person is eligible for based on their FAFSA application). They want to be able to teach what and how they teach without government involvement. For example, if a person qualifies for a subsidized Stafford loan, many unaccredited institutions won't accept the money toward the student's tuition bill. It's also very difficult to get any kind of license granted by the state such as a teaching license, medical license, therapist license, etc. because the degree isn't valid to state boards in many cases.
My final point is that it is possible to get a job at an organization that is Ivy-heavy among that organization's employees. Being one's best self, having good grades, leadership roles, employment history, and expanding one's professional network throughout one's career weigh really heavily with employers once a candidate's resume is actually read. If you are on the fence about whether an Ivy (or Ivy-equivalent in other areas of the country) are for you for any reason, my message is that graduating from any accredited college/university will open doors. Building one's personal brand and knowing how to confidently sell your skills to a future employer opens doors. The employment landscape is like a big room in a building. The room has more than 1 or 2 doors to be able to enter the room. There are many doors. As a student and later as a job applicant, you'll need to discover the doors most suited to you in order to enter the room.
I wish you the best of luck!
Jennifer
Hunter Beebe
Customer Success Manager
3
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Hunter’s Answer
This question has both a "yes" and a "no" answer. It's a "yes" because attending an Ivy League school can help you in the job market and make it easier to open doors. It also offers great networking opportunities with other students who might have similar chances to open doors, giving you a chance to join their organizations. Some fields, like top consulting firms, investment banking, and executive leadership programs, often recruit from Ivy League schools.
However, it's also a "no" because where you go to school doesn't matter as much if you don't have good grades, network well, and show leadership both inside and outside the university. Being at the top of your class at a state school is more valuable than being at the bottom of your class at an Ivy League school. A great summer internship can open more doors than just attending an Ivy League school. You also need to think about the cost difference. If you can attend a state school for free or an Ivy League school for $50,000 a year, consider how long it would take to pay back the loans from an Ivy League education.
However, it's also a "no" because where you go to school doesn't matter as much if you don't have good grades, network well, and show leadership both inside and outside the university. Being at the top of your class at a state school is more valuable than being at the bottom of your class at an Ivy League school. A great summer internship can open more doors than just attending an Ivy League school. You also need to think about the cost difference. If you can attend a state school for free or an Ivy League school for $50,000 a year, consider how long it would take to pay back the loans from an Ivy League education.
Job Hall
Real Estate Manager
157
Answers
Reno, Nevada
Updated
Job’s Answer
No. College is also where you meet people in your field that you could know your entire life and all work in the same field. Connections that can advance your career.
College is what you make of it. You can learn just as much if you study and focus on your future. If you plan on going to higher education like a masters or doctorate college is just the beginning and you could end up in an ivy league graduate program. People go from community college to Harvard. Get good grades and learn as much as possible.
Good luck
College is what you make of it. You can learn just as much if you study and focus on your future. If you plan on going to higher education like a masters or doctorate college is just the beginning and you could end up in an ivy league graduate program. People go from community college to Harvard. Get good grades and learn as much as possible.
Good luck
Tyler Cooley
Sales
1
Answer
Libertyville, Illinois
Updated
Tyler’s Answer
Yes, it does matter. The community of Alumni should be considered a part of the value of your degree. If that community is truly dedicated to furthering their graduates, it should be acknowledged.
Consider the outcome you are hoping to achieve attending college and set expectations.
Consider the outcome you are hoping to achieve attending college and set expectations.
Nichole Byczkowski
Consultant
2
Answers
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Updated
Nichole’s Answer
Yes, education is education no matter what school you attend. There are unique benefits to attending every college.
When considering the college you want to attend, you should consider your career goals and objectives for attending college.
For example, if your goal is to become a high school gym teacher, it may not make sense to attend an ivy league because the cost of education verse the potential career earnings are not aligned. On another hand, if your career goal is to become President one day, there might be an advantage to attend an ivy league school to network. However, in both those scenarios the education is still valid and is still education!!
When considering the college you want to attend, you should consider your career goals and objectives for attending college.
For example, if your goal is to become a high school gym teacher, it may not make sense to attend an ivy league because the cost of education verse the potential career earnings are not aligned. On another hand, if your career goal is to become President one day, there might be an advantage to attend an ivy league school to network. However, in both those scenarios the education is still valid and is still education!!