What is with the obsession with Ivies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you're old -- the world has changed. The elites are not only a status badge, they're a ticket to a high-paying gig for even history majors, working in the best cities, they give the best financial aid, and it's a leg up in graduate admissions.

What kind of high paying fields are history majors working in?

Liberal Arts degrees are a breeze compared to majors like engineering. What do employers value about these graduates? Are they just enthralled with the Ivys?

My friend's husband has a BA in history from Yale. He was recruited straight into i-banking after college and they're rolling in it. This was in 2008. He's smart, analytical, writes well, and7 is fluent in the social scene for these types of professions.

+1

I was recruited into wall street/finance after college with a humanities degree.

[Anonymous]

OP - Maybe some are "obsessed" with ivies but even on DCUM I don't thing there are many like that. There are many that would want their child to have that option/opportunity if he/she has the credentials to be competitive for it -- and I see nothing wrong with that. I am state flagship U graduate from a lower middle class/working class type family. I did well there -- it gave me a path to a good law school, a large law firm, partnership, etc. I can't complain. But it was only after my DC began attending an ivy that I learned out on what I missed in college.

DC has already had opportunities that I am sure today's students at my flagship don't know exist. And he is surrounded by an astonishing number of accomplished kids. Yes, there are the stereotype rich kids that can be obnoxious and disconnected, and there are the stereotype liberal activists who never met an issue that didn't cry out for immediate and frequent protest, but most of the kids are as nice as at any other school, just very smart, interesting, and some wickedly funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you're old -- the world has changed. The elites are not only a status badge, they're a ticket to a high-paying gig for even history majors, working in the best cities, they give the best financial aid, and it's a leg up in graduate admissions.

What kind of high paying fields are history majors working in?

Liberal Arts degrees are a breeze compared to majors like engineering. What do employers value about these graduates? Are they just enthralled with the Ivys?

My friend's husband has a BA in history from Yale. He was recruited straight into i-banking after college and they're rolling in it. This was in 2008. He's smart, analytical, writes well, and7 is fluent in the social scene for these types of professions.

+1

I was recruited into wall street/finance after college with a humanities degree.

This happens practically only if you are at an ivy. It is extremely rare for elite wall street firms to be recruiting humanities majors from less prestigious schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one is saying you can't be successful if you do not get an Ivy League education. Many many people are. However statistically speaking Ivy League and other elite school grads tend to proportionally occupy more top positions in business and government, rich lists etc. Also the connections you make at the ivies both while there and through the alumni network are far reaching and very valuable. Also there are some industries that that really favor elite schools. If you work at elite consulting firms, big law, high finance for example the preference for brand name schools is blatant.

I work at consulting and 80% of the people in our firm are Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, Duke grads either undergrad or masters/PhD. Most of the remaining 20% went to elite LACs.

The bolded is not really relevant. Ivy's have a greater concentration of really bright accomplished kids than state flagships for example.

But what is relevant to OP's point is whether the school itself improves career outcomes for really bright and accomplished individuals. In other words, would those those same individuals achieve the same career success (top positions in business and government) having gone to say a Notre Dame or UVA as they would going to a Dartmouth. I'd like to see the study that proves the school itself makes the difference in that regard for kids of objectively equal attributes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one is saying you can't be successful if you do not get an Ivy League education. Many many people are. However statistically speaking Ivy League and other elite school grads tend to proportionally occupy more top positions in business and government, rich lists etc. Also the connections you make at the ivies both while there and through the alumni network are far reaching and very valuable. Also there are some industries that that really favor elite schools. If you work at elite consulting firms, big law, high finance for example the preference for brand name schools is blatant.

I work at consulting and 80% of the people in our firm are Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, Duke grads either undergrad or masters/PhD. Most of the remaining 20% went to elite LACs.

The bolded is not really relevant. Ivy's have a greater concentration of really bright accomplished kids than state flagships for example.

But what is relevant to OP's point is whether the school itself improves career outcomes for really bright and accomplished individuals. In other words, would those those same individuals achieve the same career success (top positions in business and government) having gone to say a Notre Dame or UVA as they would going to a Dartmouth. I'd like to see the study that proves the school itself makes the difference in that regard for kids of objectively equal attributes.

Also ... I have 3 Ivy degrees so I'm not asking this out of some insecurity. I'd really like to know if someone can point to a study that proves attending an Ivy versus a Notre Dame or Michigan makes a difference in career outcomes for otherwise identically qualified students.

[Anonymous]

Engineer here. Ivy undergrad and smaller technical school for grad degree which is well known in the region I got it, but not as much nationally, although it is internationally. The difference is that technical folks will value my masters the same or more but to make it past HR, my undergrad alma mater is often more impressive than my masters. The masters and license are just credentials I need to have. Oh, and I learned how to write which many engineering schools don't focus on.
The network of alumni that I can tap into 20 years out of school is huge and helpful.
My kids can go where ever they want. In hiring, I look more at the level classes interviews took and what they know. And yes, I will hire someone from a more competitive school first since I know they

[Anonymous]

It's the network, and the air of superiority that make people think they're soooo much better than the unwashed masses. Good schools, yes. Not necessarily the best at everything, or the right fit for everyone. There are lot of highly ranked schools that ride on reputation and large alumni trust funds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - Maybe some are "obsessed" with ivies but even on DCUM I don't thing there are many like that. There are many that would want their child to have that option/opportunity if he/she has the credentials to be competitive for it -- and I see nothing wrong with that. I am state flagship U graduate from a lower middle class/working class type family. I did well there -- it gave me a path to a good law school, a large law firm, partnership, etc. I can't complain. But it was only after my DC began attending an ivy that I learned out on what I missed in college.

DC has already had opportunities that I am sure today's students at my flagship don't know exist. And he is surrounded by an astonishing number of accomplished kids. Yes, there are the stereotype rich kids that can be obnoxious and disconnected, and there are the stereotype liberal activists who never met an issue that didn't cry out for immediate and frequent protest, but most of the kids are as nice as at any other school, just very smart, interesting, and some wickedly funny.

What opportunities are these?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is with the obsession with Ivies? I get it if it's your alma matre, but if it's not, why are people so obsessed. I went to a never heard of public university. I work with Harvard grads, MIT grads, UMD, UVA, and some schools no one has ever heard of (like mine). My boss went to Gearge Mason. He manages Harvard grads. We all make over $200K/year. I'm not alone. My husband whent to an Ivy (and doesn't care if our kids go to one or not). He is managed by a UMich grad. He works with people who went to all sorts of colleges. He also makes well over $200K/yr. Shouldn't college be about fit and what you can afford (I graduated with no debt). Why are people obsessed with sending their kids to an Ivy, or heck in this area UVa (which is a weird local obsession)?

Because it enables the rich and powerful to stay rich and powerful.

[Anonymous]

What's with the obsession with the Hamptons, Martha's Vineyard, the Cape?

What's with the obsession with BMWs, Audis, Porsches?

What's with the obsession with Goldman Sachs or Apple/Facebook/Amazon offers?

[Anonymous]

If you just want to be rich, you can skip college and buy a Domino franchise. If your only goal is to become a doctor, then you can take your pre-med classes anywhere. And if you want a billboard on the highway advertising your personal injury practice, go your land grant school. Exxon/Mobile prefers line engineers from Purdue over MIT.


But, if you want a deep intellectual experience with lots of peers that want to stay up all night talking about ideas big and small, you'll get a lot more from the Ivies and other top tier schools. It makes a difference to be around many super smart students all the time and faculty who expect much more than basic competency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the network, and the air of superiority that make people think they're soooo much better than the unwashed masses. Good schools, yes. Not necessarily the best at everything, or the right fit for everyone. There are lot of highly ranked schools that ride on reputation and large alumni trust funds.

Chip


on


shoulder

[Anonymous]

Harvard College was a life-changing experience for me. Ended up in a different profession, married someone I wouldn’t otherwise have met, moved to a different part of the country, and have a much higher SES than my parents or sibs do. Already seeing second gen effects as well. True for DH as well.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like this post was just a lengthy windup to take a weird and unwarranted swipe at UVA. Sorry you were rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is with the obsession with Ivies? I get it if it's your alma matre, but if it's not, why are people so obsessed. I went to a never heard of public university. I work with Harvard grads, MIT grads, UMD, UVA, and some schools no one has ever heard of (like mine). My boss went to Gearge Mason. He manages Harvard grads. We all make over $200K/year. I'm not alone. My husband whent to an Ivy (and doesn't care if our kids go to one or not). He is managed by a UMich grad. He works with people who went to all sorts of colleges. He also makes well over $200K/yr. Shouldn't college be about fit and what you can afford (I graduated with no debt). Why are people obsessed with sending their kids to an Ivy, or heck in this area UVa (which is a weird local obsession)?

Because it enables the rich and powerful to stay rich and powerful.

President Warren will take care of that with massive tax changes!!