Is "Public Ivy" really a thing?

[Anonymous]

I found this humorous but was chatting with another parent and after I revealed my daughter is going to Cornell she said "that's wonderful, my son is going to an ivy too!". I said "that's great, which one?" and she said "UNC, chapel Hill". I said "I'm sorry that's not ivy league"and she retorted "yes it is, it's a public ivy".

I'm sorry but isn't there only one ivy league? My child worked incredibly hard to get into an ivy I frankly think it's rude to misrepresent and say that UNC is ivy league - even though it is a great school.

[Anonymous]

It's only a thing to people who want to try to make it a thing.

But no, its not a thing.

And UNC is a great school and is in the ACC. There is no reason not to be proud to have a kid there without ascribing a fake attribute.

[Anonymous]

First, I can't believe a conversation would actually go that way. for your part you need to give it a rest.

And part of Cornell IS public so technically it is in fact a public ivy.

[Anonymous]

No, it's not really a thing.

I think "little ivies" may be a thing though. ONly because my upper crust, Radcliffe educated, new england grandmother spoke of them. She could have been wrong though.

[Anonymous]

It’s not really a thing. But at the same time, and I say this as a proud Cornell grad, Ivy is a football league.

Cornell is a good school, and it’s great your dd got in, but you should be proud she got into Cornell, not that she got into an Ivy. They’re not interchangeable, and there are plenty of schools that are not in the Ivy League that are quite arguably better than Cornell.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's a thing. "Public Ivy". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Ivy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a thing. "Public Ivy". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Ivy

Right, but this is just an arbitrary group devised by a magazine writer

The ivy league is an actual association of schools that originally began as a sports league, but over time has become associated with academic prestige

[Anonymous]

Lol. OP thinks it’s rude.

[Anonymous]

OP you were bragging and she one upped you. Public Ivy is a thing but most people don’t say it. They just think it. Public Ivy’s are: UNC, UVA, Berkeley, W&M and a couple of others.

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry your friend was not more impressed with Cornell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you were bragging and she one upped you. Public Ivy is a thing but most people don’t say it. They just think it. Public Ivy’s are: UNC, UVA, Berkeley, W&M and a couple of others.

Most people don’t know the term or what schools would be included. It’s not an actual league of schools.

[Anonymous]

I'd never heard the term "Public Ivy" before but would not put UNC Chapel Hill on the same level as Cornell regardless.

[Anonymous]

It both is and isn't a thing. It's common vernacular, but not an official qualification.

However, I would recommend you just be happy for your friend, let her have her joy, and let the rest go.

Congrats to your S.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I found this humorous but was chatting with another parent and after I revealed my daughter is going to Cornell she said "that's wonderful, my son is going to an ivy too!". I said "that's great, which one?" and she said "UNC, chapel Hill". I said "I'm sorry that's not ivy league"and she retorted "yes it is, it's a public ivy".

I'm sorry but isn't there only one ivy league? My child worked incredibly hard to get into an ivy I frankly think it's rude to misrepresent and say that UNC is ivy league - even though it is a great school.

It's a book published in 1988. So in that sense, it's a "thing." Basically what it's suggesting is there are high-quality public institutions that offer better value for money than the Ivy League itself. And, that's arguably true.

Whether the schools identified 30 years ago are still the same today is questionable. But many of them are... Michigan and UVA are still great schools, for instance. Miami University in Ohio is a fantastic undergraduate institution with a great reputation as a teaching institution (as opposed to a research institution).

You're being too literal, however. But, yes, it's a "thing."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it's a thing. "Public Ivy". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Ivy

Right, but this is just an arbitrary group devised by a magazine writer

The ivy league is an actual association of schools that originally began as a sports league, but over time has become associated with academic prestige

Thing is, the institutions identified by the "Public Ivy" designation are also prestigious -- and a superior value for money. That's the "thing."

$23,000 a year for William and Mary vs. $70,000 for Brown? Many people will choose W&M.