ic S/general/checkmark circled Thanks for subscribing! Be on the lookout for our next newsletter.
ic S/general/checkmark circled
Saved to My Favorites. View My Favorites
Articles / Applying to College / Are Ivies Worth the Cost?

Are Ivies Worth the Cost?

Sally Rubenstone
Written by Sally Rubenstone | March 27, 2004

Question: I am a junior and have a very strong GPA and SAT scores. My guidance counselor told me I could definitely get into an Ivy League school--which i would love to do--but that I could get a full scholarship at a lower-ranked school. My parents make a decent living, so we probably wouldn't get a whole lot of aid, but we can't afford an Ivy League tuition on our own. Is the debt and outside scholarship work worth it, or should I go to a less prestigious school? Would the Ivy League education make a difference in the end, or would the debt outweigh the benefits?

This is a good question but it's also one where, if you ask it 100 different times, you'll probably get 100 replies, and they'll all sound like cop-outs. That is, there are no easy answers, and the best is probably "It depends."


What does it depend on? For starters, it depends on your background. For instance, if you come from a small town, a blue-collar family, or from any environment that might be labeled "parochial" or "provincial," then the horizon-broadening contacts and experiences you'll find at an Ivy League institution may be well worth the debt you accrue to go there. But that's only if you're a person who feels comfortable making the kind of transition that this might entail. I know of some students with Ivy potential who preferred to attend less prestigious (and less costly) colleges for their undergrad years then--after making their mark there academically--were able to land coveted spots in Ivy League graduate programs. So, you have to ask yourself, "Will I be most comfortable and successful among hyper-achieving peers at an elite college or would I rather stand out in a less competitive crowd?"

Another consideration: While Ivy League colleges offer only need-based aid for which you may not qualify, there are a number of very fine institutions that offer merit aid. While they may not be Ivies or among those most commonly considered Ivy equivalents (e.g., Amherst, Williams, Stanford, MIT, Swarthmore), there are plenty of excellent and renowned places that might offer you an attractive scholarship and may even be better matches for you than an Ivy. In other words, you don't have to abandon prestige entirely to get non-need-based aid.

Moreover, I read a study a little while back that followed the careers and earnings of students who attended Ivy League institutions about 25 years ago along with the careers and earnings of others who were accepted by Ivy schools but enrolled elsewhere. The study contended that the Ivy alums were no more "successful" (at least from a financial standpoint) than those who could have enrolled but didn't.

While it often seems that for every study that has one outcome, there's another with opposing results, I think it's safe to say that you can have a happy and fruitful life regardless of where you go to college. You should keep an open mind and check out a range of places: Ivies and otherwise. Put special emphasis on good schools with merit-aid offerings. Athletic scholarships aside, merit aid most often goes to students whose "numbers" (grades, rank, test scores) are significantly higher than those of the typical entering freshman. So keep that in mind as you determine where you might be a merit-aid contender.

Finally, you began by saying that your guidance counselor told you that you can "definitely" get into an Ivy League school. That's a pretty powerful statement. I've been in this business for nearly 20 years, and rarely can I be that certain about an Ivy aspirant. The process is simply too competitive and often capricious. (Of course, you did spell "definitely" correctly--a rarity among today's high school students. That alone should make you an Ivy shoo-in. :-) ) If you are indeed such a strong candidate, then all the more reason to look at both Ivies and merit-aid institutions. Visit as many campuses as you can. Spend the night when possible, and then you may be able to answer your own question when it's time to make a final decision.

Written by

Sally Rubenstone

Sally Rubenstone

Sally Rubenstone knows the competitive and often convoluted college admission process inside out: From the first time the topic of college comes up at the dinner table until the last duffel bag is unloaded on a dorm room floor. She is the co-author of Panicked Parents' Guide to College Admissions; The Transfer Student's Guide to Changing Colleges and The International Student's Guide to Going to College in America. Sally has appeared on NBC's Today program and has been quoted in countless publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Weekend, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, People and Seventeen. Sally has viewed the admissions world from many angles: As a Smith College admission counselor for 15 years, an independent college counselor serving students from a wide range of backgrounds and the author of College Confidential's "Ask the Dean" column. She also taught language arts, social studies, study skills and test preparation in 10 schools, including American international schools in London, Paris, Geneva, Athens and Tel Aviv. As senior advisor to College Confidential since 2002, Sally has helped hundreds of students and parents navigate the college admissions maze. In 2008, she co-founded College Karma, a private college consulting firm, with her College Confidential colleague Dave Berry, and she continues to serve as a College Confidential advisor. Sally and her husband, Chris Petrides, became first-time parents in 1997 at the ripe-old age of 45. So Sally was nearly an official senior citizen when her son Jack began the college selection process, and when she was finally able to practice what she had preached for more than three decades.

More on Applying to College

See all
typing at computer- karolina-grabowska-6958506-resized

Authentic Voice in College Essays

That’s why you want to use your authentic voice when writing any college essay.

So what’s the problem? A student has shared an ess…

college-interview

College Interview Prep Tips: Brainstorm, Research, Analyze, Generalize

I recently visited Washington University in Saint Louis and was lucky enough to set up an interview. By speaking with peers of mi…

campus gates

Academic Index Scores: Why They Matter and How They're Calculated

Note: Click here for 10 Summer Programs You Can Still Apply For or keep reading to learn more about academic index scores.

8 Podcasts for Students Going Through the Admissions Process

7 Podcasts for Students Going Through the Admissions Process

Podcasts can offer a wealth of information to busy students, particularly when it comes to the college admissions process. We…

pexels-yan-krukau-8197544

Avoid College Application Regrets: Tips For Getting It Right the First Time

Decision Day occurs each year on May 1st and is the deadline for students to inform the college of their choice of their intent t…

Get a student loan that goes beyond tuition.

Ascent offers cosigned and non-cosigned student loans with exclusive benefits that set students up for success.

Explore Now!
Find Your Scholarship

Want to find money for school that doesn’t need to be paid back? Access insights and advice on how to search and apply for scholarships!

Search for Scholarship