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The Ivy League: Are These Colleges Equal Or Elitist?

Opinion

September 03, 2024

The Ivy Leagues: glory, grace, and greatness. Known for their highly selective admissions, academic excellence, and alumni success, these eight schools, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, UPenn, Brown, Cornell, and Columbia, form the golden halo of American education. Their prestige is undeniable.

However, looking through recent articles in student-run newspapers of Ivy League universities (such as The Daily Princetonian, The Harvard Crimson, and The Yale Daily News), you'll find titles like "What Recent Defences of Legacy Admissions Get Wrong," "Harvard's Sloppy Elitism," and "Abolish Yale." Perhaps there's more to the American dream behind the arched doors of the historic campuses. These distinguished institutions, do they really teach their students how to make real change, or are they a biassed concept altogether, keeping wealth circulated through generations of the world's historically elite?

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Where Does the Truth Lie?

Professor Shamus Khan, a sociology professor at Princeton University, regards the symbolic, social, and cultural "capital" one gains from a university like Princeton to be the most important part of attending, rather than the actual classes. He defends legacy admissions because they allow students to network with "socially advantaged peers."

At Harvard, for instance, legacies make up less than five percent of applicants but make up roughly thirty percent of admitted applicants each year. Ultimately, it's not Harvard's aim to produce alumni who hoard wealth and a place in an elite class; it should not be believed that the existence of Ivy League universities is based on values of social justice.

These universities exist to create vigorous academic programs for people who will benefit from them and go on to make significant changes in the world. Producing an elite just isn't their goal, and notably, a more diverse crowd of wealthy, elite people doesn't change the fact that an elite class is inherently unjust.

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So, Really, is the Ivy League to Blame?

Now, does this mean that children from the top 1 percent of wealthy families are more than 70 times as likely to attend an Ivy League college compared to children from the bottom 20 percent? Is this entirely fair and based solely on competence? Likely not.

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Still, it's important to understand that wealth opens bigger doors to opportunities for success and enhancing talent. Scores on standardized tests (such as the SAT) have been proven to correlate with applicants' household income (eager parents and advanced tutors mean the wealthier the student, the better the score). The ability to participate in extracurriculars that colleges look for in applications is more often than not based on the wealth and social network of the family. And, of course, educational elites are probably more likely to enhance academic talent, which is greatly favored in university admissions.

Do Ivy Leagues have any true purpose?

In an interview with the Atlantic, Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber was asked, "Should Princeton exist?"

He answered, "The idea of a place like Princeton is that you can identify young people who have extraordinary talent and will benefit from an intensive academic experience. Over the space of years and decades, they will blossom in ways we can't even predict, and they will be able to address problems that matter."

Yale's mission statement is similar.

"Yale is committed to improving the world today and for future generations through outstanding research and scholarship, education, preservation, and practice. Yale educates aspiring leaders worldwide who serve all sectors of society."

Then again, more often than not, big changes are made by groups, not single individuals. Teamwork makes the dream work, no? And if that's as concrete a fact as we've always known it to be, then wouldn't these prestigious institutions have a larger impact if their world-class resources were shared with the entire world rather than having them so exclusively restricted?

So, the big question is: is the Ivy League really elitist?

Not quite.

More than the Ivy League universities being 'elitist', it boils down to the importance of money. While talent, intelligence, and character cannot be bought, money can undeniably help strengthen them. Wealth and networking can give people experiences that put them in a better place for success and impactful change in the future. Ivy League universities are made to give a thorough academic experience in order to enhance the chance their students will have at success post-graduation.

Still, it is equally important to consider that while wealthier people may be better positioned for success and power, it takes so much more than money to make a difference. It takes grit, passion, and courage. All these traits are invaluable, and they're everywhere, regardless of social class.

So, do you need to take down the Harvard University poster you've hung over your bed? And the Cornell one right beside it? No. But none of these colleges are the only way.

There are always different paths.

Shahbano Malhi

Writer since Aug, 2024 · 3 published articles

Shahbano Malhi is a Year 10 GCSE student who enjoys exploring opportunities to be creative. She loves spending her free time reading, writing, singing, or painting.

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