Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 23:58     Subject: Re:What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
I have one kid who just graduated from the top ivy and another one who is in a very nice ( but not wildly selective) state school. As parents we love both schools/experiences kids having. Both kids ended up at just the right spot for them. The Ivy my kid went to was like an academic Disneyland for her, such amazing learning opportunities and the resources were incredible. We also got fairly generous aid for a doughnut hole type family so it was affordable. She is not going down a career path is particularly lucrative but the offer opportunity to learn and grow was amazing and her post- grad opportunities were surely related to all she did in undergrad. The kid at the state School will almost certainly be making more money in his first years out of school and he’s having a great time, getting a solid education, having exactly the college experience he was looking for.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 23:52     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:Parent of current Ivy student (unhooked RD admit to 2 of them). It is exceeding all expectations. DC is developing real intellectual interests that will serve him for a lifetime, absolutely excited for the challenges and growth, amazed by the constant opportunities, the stream of people who speak and present at these schools is inspiring. Also has made a great group of friends from all over the world.
And yes, there are lots of internship and job posting and a very supportive career center.
Couldn't be happier


Echoing this post as someone with both kids at an Ivy+ school. Undergrad school matters a lot if you want a job immediately post bachelor’s degree. An Ivy+ education will not only give students exclusive job opportunities but will also teach them how to approach problems and information with intellectual rigor, which will matter throughout the rest of their lives.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 23:50     Subject: Re:What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:Connections/networking/powerful alumni
Selective industry jobs/internships that lead to big $$$$ salaries
Bragging rights / name dropping
Mrs degree / marry a rich guy


nope

you have no connection to an Ivy
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 23:49     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:First, keep in mind not all parents are paying full price. My DC attends an Ivy (Brown). We pay about half full COA. We are what most people would consider affluent but not by DCUM standards (250K HHI) and have 529 savings, but not enough for all four years. We have another in college, which is a big part of the reasons we are only paying COA.

And here's the answer to the question: it's peer group, but not for marrying/networking purposes. Rather, it's peer group for learning potential. My DC is truly "brought up" by others around them. They relish being around others smarter than them, even if only perceived. They thrive in groups and by being challenged. There are lots of smart kids at our state flagship (which is where I went and this DS's sibling goes) but it's not the same environment. It's just not.

The Brown environment is good for my kid. Not every Ivy would be, though. Choosing an Ivy environment doesn't make a kid or parent a snob.

I'm a little tired of the "they're only chasing prestige" comments. It is possible that a school that happens to be an Ivy is a good environment for a kid. Otherwise, do these commenters feel they should just shut Ivys down? Please keep in mind that these (among many other schools) are places where research is done that changes lives. They are real schools, where real teaching and learning occurs. I feel like people forget that sometimes.


+1 from an Ivy grad who is also tired of haters saying ppl are just in it for the prestige. That wasn't my experience at all.

Easy to hate when you're jealous and claim you're not interested when you didn't get in. Just look at the post about where parents would go if they could go anywhere. Look how many would pick an Ivy!
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 23:47     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:I am curious and I have questions for families that have smart kids get admitted into Ivy league regardless of majors they choose. Parents, spending that tons of money for 4 years, would rather want them to study hard for a diploma, expose them to elite and knowledges, spend more time on networking opportunities or possibly find a future spouse over those 4 years? I am sure kids are proven to be smart and that must be something other than the "name" that is worth it for families wanting their kids going to ivy league.


Wut
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 23:35     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:I am curious and I have questions for families that have smart kids get admitted into Ivy league regardless of majors they choose. Parents, spending that tons of money for 4 years, would rather want them to study hard for a diploma, expose them to elite and knowledges, spend more time on networking opportunities or possibly find a future spouse over those 4 years? I am sure kids are proven to be smart and that must be something other than the "name" that is worth it for families wanting their kids going to ivy league.


The real attraction is the aid.

For students from moderately broke families, the Ivy League schools and some other T30 schools may be cheaper than going to the local community college.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 22:56     Subject: Re:What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Connections/networking/powerful alumni
Selective industry jobs/internships that lead to big $$$$ salaries
Bragging rights / name dropping
Mrs degree / marry a rich guy
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 21:12     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:I am curious and I have questions for families that have smart kids get admitted into Ivy league regardless of majors they choose. Parents, spending that tons of money for 4 years, would rather want them to study hard for a diploma, expose them to elite and knowledges, spend more time on networking opportunities or possibly find a future spouse over those 4 years? I am sure kids are proven to be smart and that must be something other than the "name" that is worth it for families wanting their kids going to ivy league.


Options.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 21:05     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Parent of current Ivy student (unhooked RD admit to 2 of them). It is exceeding all expectations. DC is developing real intellectual interests that will serve him for a lifetime, absolutely excited for the challenges and growth, amazed by the constant opportunities, the stream of people who speak and present at these schools is inspiring. Also has made a great group of friends from all over the world.
And yes, there are lots of internship and job posting and a very supportive career center.
Couldn't be happier
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 20:18     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am curious and I have questions for families that have smart kids get admitted into Ivy league regardless of majors they choose. Parents, spending that tons of money for 4 years, would rather want them to study hard for a diploma, expose them to elite and knowledges, spend more time on networking opportunities or possibly find a future spouse over those 4 years? I am sure kids are proven to be smart and that must be something other than the "name" that is worth it for families wanting their kids going to ivy league.


Of course the name is worth it. It opens doors for JOBS. You know the thing that the result of 4 years at college qualifies someone for.

OP you can not be this dumb.

A parents sending a kid to schools like, University of SC, University of Alabama, University of Kentucky, University of Tennessee, etc...as an out of state student now that is beyond financially stupid. Instate totally fine out of state dumb as rocks.


You can respond without name calling.

The reality of the job market is that it’s shifting toward skills-based hiring, outsourcing to low cost locations and automation. I haven’t seen companies hire someone—or resumes open doors—based solely on a college name.


Then you clearly do not have an ivy student. Top companies actively recruit on campus. Ivies and 5-6 other elite schools are the only schools targeted by the very top companies. The same group of schools is overrepresented at T5 law and T5 med and T5 phDs in all fields.
The shift in the job market is making the school attended more important not less.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 18:16     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
I went to Harvard on a scholarship as an international student from West Africa. If you weren’t exposed to elite circles growing up, an Ivy League college can feel very lonely. The education is excellent, but beyond that, the experience can be isolating if you don’t come from a privileged background. Fitting in isn’t easy.

That said, these institutions do open doors that might otherwise have remained closed, regardless of the connections you make while you’re there.

I’m back home now after a short stint at the IMF. Would I send my child to an Ivy League school? Probably not. My twin brother went to UT and built more meaningful, lifelong connections than I did.

I do miss Virginia though.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 18:02     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:This is what parents hope to get out of Ivy:

People treating your life as mythology:

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/12/6/tealuxe-earl-grey-romance/


Pretty sad mythology if you end up with spouses who can't agree on when they first met. Or a spouse who thinks Earl Grey "tastes like cockroaches" (does this spouse have experience snacking on roaches?) and just says "okay" to a proposal of marriage.

Skippable. Very skippable.

Like the dirty vegan restaurant I ate in just outside the gates of Harvard when I visited to see what the fuss was about.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 17:49     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
I know I’m late to the party but as a graduate of Rice and Harvard, I have never gotten a job based on my Rice undergrad. My first job after getting my doctorate from Harvard, yes Harvard opened that door. But since then, my success has been based on my work, not my network. My network has been through conferences and work events. All in all, I went to these schools for prestige, not fit. It filled a desire in me. I also have paid a total of $8000 for all my schooling. If your kid gets in, great; if not, that’s okay too.
Anonymous
Post 12/30/2025 14:32     Subject: What parents hope their kids get out from ivy league?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am curious and I have questions for families that have smart kids get admitted into Ivy league regardless of majors they choose. Parents, spending that tons of money for 4 years, would rather want them to study hard for a diploma, expose them to elite and knowledges, spend more time on networking opportunities or possibly find a future spouse over those 4 years? I am sure kids are proven to be smart and that must be something other than the "name" that is worth it for families wanting their kids going to ivy league.


Of course the name is worth it. It opens doors for JOBS. You know the thing that the result of 4 years at college qualifies someone for.

OP you can not be this dumb.

A parents sending a kid to schools like, University of SC, University of Alabama, University of Kentucky, University of Tennessee, etc...as an out of state student now that is beyond financially stupid. Instate totally fine out of state dumb as rocks.


You can respond without name calling.

The reality of the job market is that it’s shifting toward skills-based hiring, outsourcing to low cost locations and automation. I haven’t seen companies hire someone—or resumes open doors—based solely on a college name.