Why Attending an Ivy League Actually Matters

Written by Sienna, Princeton University

How much does attending a prestigious school really matter in the long run? While success can be found anywhere, the evidence points to the fact that attending a school in the Ivy League does in fact have a proven, tangible impact on future career earnings. A recent report by Bloomberg states that the average return on investment (ROI) for an Ivy league education is $265,500 (measured as net present value of earnings with the price paid for school after initial aid subracted from that). At the top of the list of Ivy Leagues for financial ROI was Princeton, with an impressive $340,000 average return. In this blog, a Princeotn University graduate explores 3 of the ways in which the Ivy League offers such a unique educational advantage. 

Funded Learning Opportunities

From my personal experience as an undergraduate at Princeton University, one of the things that sets Ivy league schools apart is the unparalleled access to well-funded learning opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom. For example, while you have the chance to learn about entrepreneurship from some of the best industry leaders and professors on the subject, at Princeton, you also have the opportunity to apply that knowledge directly to your own entrepreneurial endavors through project grants provided by the Keller Center - Princeton’s entrepreneurship hub. 

Additionally, if you find that you are interested in a subject area or learning opportunity not yet available on Princeton's campus, there are ample sources of mentorship and funding to start a club, bring speakers to campus, or even plan fully-funded excursions for students off-campus to pursue whatever it is you are interested in. 

What You Learn Outside the Classroom

One of the common questions that I get from the parents of high school students weighing the costs of their colleg options is “why would I pay more for the same introductory class at an Ivy League that I could get for a fraction of the price at my local college?”. While it is true that a great education can be found anywhere, what this question misses is the fact that education does not only occur in a linear fashion with knowledge imparted from the teacher to the student. Instead, education should be viewed more holistically in terms of the environment and the caliber of the other students that you will be surrounded by in the process of acquiring knowledge both insie and outside of the classroom. The Ivy league largely attracts students who strive to be the best that they can be both professionally and personally and that standard of excellence permeates all activity on campus - creating an environment that inspires hard work and self-improvmenet. 

Schools in the Ivy league also make a conscious effort to ensure that their campuses reflect a diversity of cultures and ideas, which makes attending an Ivy League school an experience which often broadens an individual’s worldview. Coming from a small, rural town before attending Princeton, I can say that the trajectory of my life and career ambitions were certainly influenced by the people and ideas that I came into contact with at Princeton. I would never have even thought to apply to the jobs that I did if it weren't for the friends I made at Princeotn that told me about these opportunities. 

Similarly, evidence backs up the claim that if you come from a historically marginalized bakcroung or a rural community, the effect of  this exposure to different socioeconomic classes and new ideas will have a disproportionately beneficial effect on your long-term success in life. 

Access is Opportunity

Very few people in the world can say they have the contact information of industry leaders, CEOs, U.S. Senators, and other VIPs at their fingertips…other than Ivy League graduates. As a graduate or student at an Ivy League school, you will have access to an alumni network that includes some of the most prominent and influential people in today’s society - allowing you to access job opportunities and seek metorship from individuals that most people would not be able to get a meeting with. I cannot stress enough the number of times that a seemingly trivial conversation with a Princeton alumni turned into a wonderful learning opproutnity or job opportunity later down the line. 

Additionally, the tightknit alumni network at Ivy League schools also means that alumni tend to feel a special affinityfor one another - making most alumni willing to go the extra mile to help another graduate of their alma mater. 

Another way in which the concept of “access” applies in relation to the advantages of an Ivy league education is when it comes to getting your foot in the door for future career opportunities. Whether that be seeking investment for a business or applying to your first job, sometimes simply being associated with an Ivy League school is enough for people in positions of power to take you and your ideas seriously.