Record number of high schoolers swapping the Ivy League for the SEC thanks to sunshine, campus culture - The Times

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Generally, the SEC schools offer both a better education and a better experience than public colleges in the Northeast. Most people would choose Georgia or Florida over UMass or Rutgers and so on. It’s not surprising that many students in the Northeast are choosing Southern schools. They are better by every metric over their counterparts up North.

As for Duke, Vanderbilt, and Rice - they compete for the same students as the Ivy League. But those three schools seem to be on the upswing when it comes to getting talented students. Whereas most of the Ivy schools seem particularly blah and even miserable these days. The Ivy brand doesn’t have the same cachet it did a generation ago. So more and more top students are valuing campus experience over the name brand of the old Ivy schools. And Duke, Vandy, and Rice are all well known for being fairly happy schools - and that matters for the more well adjusted smart 18 year olds applying to college today.

It's not useful to lump all the SEC schools together in posts such as the one above. There's a HUGE difference in the educational quality and experience at the University of Florida or UGA (e.g., incoming student stats, graduation rates, etc.)than at, say, Mississippi State or University of Arkansas.

Sure. But Texas, Florida, and Georgia are all much better public universities academically than anything in the Northeast. You can also get a very solid education at Texas A&M and Alabama. And I'd argue that South Carolina, Auburn, and Tennessee are still better academically than any public university in the Northeast.

That's a lot of SEC schools.

The Northeastern states dropped the ball when it comes to public education. If you have no chance at Harvard or Brown, why on Earth would any student choose to study at some bleak, desolate public university in the Northeast?

Why are you over focusing on the Northeast? Yes, many of the oldest universities are in the NE and they are private. But the best states for public universities are not in the South: they are California and Virginia, both of which have multiple very strong schools. Nothing else comes close. States that have two strong state schools? Pennsylvania, Michigan and sure now you start getting into some Southern states. New York also has a very good, inexpensive, very under-rated state school system.

This whole premise is ridiculous. Yes, kids who 30 years ago might have gone to the University of New Hampshire now apply to University of Tennessee. Good for them. The only SEC schools that are in competition with Ivies are also PRIVATE.

Funny how DCUM posters deride the South and categorize Virginia as the North. Virginia is 100% the South. Maybe it is deemed an “okay” college option for those liberals in a bubble that hate the South, but Virginia is a southern state. People on here are so arrogant they don’t even realize how idiotic they sound. Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy. I know y’all love the prestige of UVA, but it is Southern.

I think they view the South as a combination of geography and politics.

Considering VA is now 100% blue…every top job and all legislatures…even you would agree that the school demographics of UVA are far different than say Ole’ Miss.

For all the talk of "liberals who hate the South" this is also how Southerners view the South. Virginia as a state is bordering Southern to most Southerners, although UVA is in the part that counts.

Sorry "borderline Southern"

[Anonymous]

Hell nah bro

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also hear people say that there are too many immigrants or children of immigrants at Ivy league schools from alot of parents and kids, i hear it from Black and White families to be honest.

The Ivy league testing is a bad way to judge who gets in, in my opinion it should be 50% weighted and 25% leadership, and 25% Extravehicular,

Let's be honest the immigrants who are 35% of the ivy league are great at taking test, but are horrible at applying those skills as leaders in industry

The leaders of Google, Nvidia, Meta’s Super Intelligence group (who sold his company to Meta for $15BN) and countless other companies would disagree.

Folks…you can’t both claim SEC schools are incredible, but then ignore that the most transformative companies in existence are founded, run and filled with grads of the top schools for the most part.

The SEC frenzy started less than ten years ago. Give it time. By the time you’re in a nursing home things will have changed.

That's always the answer....give it time...you can give it as much time as you want, and I guarantee you things won't change.

No offense, but all the kids i know at SEC schools (my sample size of like 10)...they aren't kids who aspire to found companies or change the world, which is fine. They want to get a nice job and have a nice life, perfectly fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also hear people say that there are too many immigrants or children of immigrants at Ivy league schools from alot of parents and kids, i hear it from Black and White families to be honest.

The Ivy league testing is a bad way to judge who gets in, in my opinion it should be 50% weighted and 25% leadership, and 25% Extravehicular,

Let's be honest the immigrants who are 35% of the ivy league are great at taking test, but are horrible at applying those skills as leaders in industry

The leaders of Google, Nvidia, Meta’s Super Intelligence group (who sold his company to Meta for $15BN) and countless other companies would disagree.

Folks…you can’t both claim SEC schools are incredible, but then ignore that the most transformative companies in existence are founded, run and filled with grads of the top schools for the most part.

The SEC frenzy started less than ten years ago. Give it time. By the time you’re in a nursing home things will have changed.

That's always the answer....give it time...you can give it as much time as you want, and I guarantee you things won't change.

No offense, but all the kids i know at SEC schools (my sample size of like 10)...they aren't kids who aspire to found companies or change the world, which is fine. They want to get a nice job and have a nice life, perfectly fine.

Nice anecdotes. You’ll finally understand when you’re so old it doesn’t matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also hear people say that there are too many immigrants or children of immigrants at Ivy league schools from alot of parents and kids, i hear it from Black and White families to be honest.

The Ivy league testing is a bad way to judge who gets in, in my opinion it should be 50% weighted and 25% leadership, and 25% Extravehicular,

Let's be honest the immigrants who are 35% of the ivy league are great at taking test, but are horrible at applying those skills as leaders in industry

The leaders of Google, Nvidia, Meta’s Super Intelligence group (who sold his company to Meta for $15BN) and countless other companies would disagree.

Folks…you can’t both claim SEC schools are incredible, but then ignore that the most transformative companies in existence are founded, run and filled with grads of the top schools for the most part.

The SEC frenzy started less than ten years ago. Give it time. By the time you’re in a nursing home things will have changed.

That's always the answer....give it time...you can give it as much time as you want, and I guarantee you things won't change.

No offense, but all the kids i know at SEC schools (my sample size of like 10)...they aren't kids who aspire to found companies or change the world, which is fine. They want to get a nice job and have a nice life, perfectly fine.

Exactly and neither contingent wants what the other offers, and that’s fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also hear people say that there are too many immigrants or children of immigrants at Ivy league schools from alot of parents and kids, i hear it from Black and White families to be honest.

The Ivy league testing is a bad way to judge who gets in, in my opinion it should be 50% weighted and 25% leadership, and 25% Extravehicular,

Let's be honest the immigrants who are 35% of the ivy league are great at taking test, but are horrible at applying those skills as leaders in industry

The leaders of Google, Nvidia, Meta’s Super Intelligence group (who sold his company to Meta for $15BN) and countless other companies would disagree.

Folks…you can’t both claim SEC schools are incredible, but then ignore that the most transformative companies in existence are founded, run and filled with grads of the top schools for the most part.

The SEC frenzy started less than ten years ago. Give it time. By the time you’re in a nursing home things will have changed.

That's always the answer....give it time...you can give it as much time as you want, and I guarantee you things won't change.

No offense, but all the kids i know at SEC schools (my sample size of like 10)...they aren't kids who aspire to found companies or change the world, which is fine. They want to get a nice job and have a nice life, perfectly fine.

Nice anecdotes. You’ll finally understand when you’re so old it doesn’t matter.

I think you are too stupid to understand that the top schools do a phenomenal job of picking winners in many different disciplines. Sometimes they are winners born on 3rd base (wealthy legacies) who continue to win, but often times they find the kids that just know how to get shit done.

...but you know that.

[Anonymous]

The Ivy League is 40% Asian

Ivy League Plus is 30% Asian

Public Ivies are 20% Asian


Sec schools seem to be a safe place for many, seems like conservatives have buyers remorse on Affirmative Action repeal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also hear people say that there are too many immigrants or children of immigrants at Ivy league schools from alot of parents and kids, i hear it from Black and White families to be honest.

The Ivy league testing is a bad way to judge who gets in, in my opinion it should be 50% weighted and 25% leadership, and 25% Extravehicular,

Let's be honest the immigrants who are 35% of the ivy league are great at taking test, but are horrible at applying those skills as leaders in industry

The leaders of Google, Nvidia, Meta’s Super Intelligence group (who sold his company to Meta for $15BN) and countless other companies would disagree.

Folks…you can’t both claim SEC schools are incredible, but then ignore that the most transformative companies in existence are founded, run and filled with grads of the top schools for the most part.

The SEC frenzy started less than ten years ago. Give it time. By the time you’re in a nursing home things will have changed.

That's always the answer....give it time...you can give it as much time as you want, and I guarantee you things won't change.

No offense, but all the kids i know at SEC schools (my sample size of like 10)...they aren't kids who aspire to found companies or change the world, which is fine. They want to get a nice job and have a nice life, perfectly fine.

Nice anecdotes. You’ll finally understand when you’re so old it doesn’t matter.

I think you are too stupid to understand that the top schools do a phenomenal job of picking winners in many different disciplines. Sometimes they are winners born on 3rd base (wealthy legacies) who continue to win, but often times they find the kids that just know how to get shit done.

...but you know that.

Nah you’re stupid if you actually believe this drivel. Maybe you’re already in a nursing home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Ivy League is 40% Asian

Ivy League Plus is 30% Asian

Public Ivies are 20% Asian


Sec schools seem to be a safe place for many, seems like conservatives have buyers remorse on Affirmative Action repeal

I know this is hard for your pea-sized brain to understand, but the SEC isn’t just for conservatives. Many liberals are at those schools doing the dirty work of trying to make a difference where it’s needed the most. See if you can actually make a difference outside of your bubble. Really, why not see if you can do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The tours were took in the spring of a few T20s it seemed like Caucasian American kids were a small minority of the overall student body. Indian and Asian were the clear majority, then Jewish, Hispanic, Arabic, and Black American and Nigerian kids. It felt like a UN summit.

This x1000. It was shocking. I get why people are outraged. It is 100% manufactured ratios and keeping out smart, UMC, high achieving kids SOLEY because they are white. They want that DEI. Best thing Trump has ever done is force these schools to scrap their ridiculous DEI efforts. And I am a liberal democrat! DEI just reached the point of absurdity.

My high achieving UMC white kid was accepted at multiple top 15 schools in 2023 (so before the Supreme Court ruling), as were several of his white friends.

No truly high achieving kids of any race are getting kept out of anywhere.

BTW, my kid’s Ivy campus is like 40% white…I find it interesting that someone differentiates Jewish kids who are also Caucasian American white as though they are Amish or some strange sect.

Same. White unhooked 2023 grad into multiple T10/ivy. However the same region in 2024 and 2025 had many more UMC white kids into ivy+ than 2023, which in hindsight was the hardest year to be unhooked. A benefit to being at a top prestigious undergrad where there are fewer unhooked super high achievers is it is easier to be in the top 1/4 than it would be if there were no DEI, no development hooks and no athletic hooks. Professors have not been subtle on commenting the student quality went down. Whether that is Covid or DEI/hooks is too difficult to parse. Now this ivy is test required like most of the T10.
Our DC in particular is usually top 10% of curves, many times scoring top 1 or 2, at a prestigious school no less. The sky is the limit in any career with that kind of success at a top school. True excellence stands out anywhere: this kid would stand out if admission at these schools were entirely on the metrics DCUM seems to favor: nonsuperscored SAT, number of 5s in the most rigorous APs, and unweighted 4.0 GPa as well as top weighted GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Ivy League is 40% Asian

Ivy League Plus is 30% Asian

Public Ivies are 20% Asian


Sec schools seem to be a safe place for many, seems like conservatives have buyers remorse on Affirmative Action repeal

I know this is hard for your pea-sized brain to understand, but the SEC isn’t just for conservatives. Many liberals are at those schools doing the dirty work of trying to make a difference where it’s needed the most. See if you can actually make a difference outside of your bubble. Really, why not see if you can do it.

I said conservatives because of Affirmative Action

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Ivy League is 40% Asian

Ivy League Plus is 30% Asian

Public Ivies are 20% Asian


Sec schools seem to be a safe place for many, seems like conservatives have buyers remorse on Affirmative Action repeal

I know this is hard for your pea-sized brain to understand, but the SEC isn’t just for conservatives. Many liberals are at those schools doing the dirty work of trying to make a difference where it’s needed the most. See if you can actually make a difference outside of your bubble. Really, why not see if you can do it.

+100

This has been true for a long time. Lots of black kids there, too, much more so than many Top 100 schools.

There is something about this subject that really brings out ignorance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it speaks to racism in America, they would rather burn the Ivy League down and flood them with Asians, and just go to Sec Schools, rather than see the Ivy league be 15% Black / 15% Hispanic

Speaks more towards their hatred for Black people, but i'm sure they also thought it would increase the White numbers, how long until they sue the Ivy League for the schools discriminating against Whites for Asians

"They" being a lot of the same people who want to Make America Great/White Again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Ivy League is 40% Asian

Ivy League Plus is 30% Asian

Public Ivies are 20% Asian


Sec schools seem to be a safe place for many, seems like conservatives have buyers remorse on Affirmative Action repeal

Huh? Admission should be intelligence/merit based, and if that leads to 40, 50, 60% asian so what. My white unhooked kid is glad to be surrounded by many equally smart asians and other people who do not look the same as they do. They are all friends. The SEC schools would not provide the right intellectual environment to push them because they do not have close to the level of peer intelligence to lead to growth for these kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parents who comment about attractiveness of students at warm weather schools may be referring to happiness & fitness due to active outdoor lifestyle found at these schools.

This. Don’t make something a problem that isn’t. SEC kids simply take care of themselves and take pride in their appearance. They’re happy and outgoing, all American kids. Again, something that was once the status quo at “top” colleges before they got taken over by dorks.

Good for you genius. You figured out you don't belong in some top "dork" college. Enjoy the SEC.

Aww looks like you’re triggered. Sorry you wouldn’t fit in with the fun, outgoing, fit kids in the SEC. They’ll be married with rich, beautiful families and amazing careers while you’re still coping.

I teach at an average SEC school and the party/fun-filled/non-academic culture is so strong that half the class don't bother to show up to a 10:30am lecture after the first few weeks. Many faculty members especially newer ones have expressed shock/disappointment at how weak the student body is. When our classes are filled with <22 ACT and <1100 SAT, there is only so much we can do to educate. We need to slow down, cover less (often much less than the same course at schools we did our Ph.D.), give fewer/easier assignments, and make exam questions very similar to previous ones (even then many don't have a prayer because they didn't care to study). That's SEC-level of education for you.