Why DON'T You Want An Ivy League Education?

[noimagination]

<p>

It’s all about initial opportunity. If you put a through Harvard and watch their career advancement over X years and then put that same person through some state university, i.e. Oklahoma State University, there WILL be a difference.

And you know this because…? I seriously need some credible evidence, because I just don’t buy it right now.

These connections don’t just stop at those professors or celebrities - it also includes employers which is perhaps the most significant opportunity that Ivy league students can get. Employers and recruiters from high-profile companies like Goldman and Sachs and Siemens - or perhaps hospitals like Brigham Young for those getting into the medical field - are always dropping by in these schools - Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, etc.

This is almost a valid point. I think there probably is a tangible difference for people interested in a small number of high-status fields - IBanking and elite management consulting come to mind. However, I don’t think it is accurate to argue that Ivy-caliber student are “more prepared for the future” or ready to become “better members of society”. Sure, they are more prepared to become investment bankers, but only a small subset of the population is headed that direction.

Going to an Ivy League school means a clear advantage. By starting out higher than most others on the employment ladder, you are able to advance to higher positions more quickly. What is more important though, is the experience you gain. You start gaining the experience earlier and are able to hone your skills in that profession, just like that kid in Palo Alto whose parents are mathematicians and were able to teach him math at an early age and allow him to succeed in college math by high school and in competitions like the AMC.

“Early exposure” to a profession will only be relevant for professional fields. Ironically enough, the most professional areas (engineering, accounting, education) are also those where prestige is generally considered least important because of localized hiring, rigorous national standardization, or both.</p>

<p>I still don’t see how the relationship between job skills learned at college and college skills learned in high school.</p>