The dream of all dreams, going to an Ivy where a degree will open doors you never even knew existed. However, getting accepted is only the first hurdle, succeeding amongst a group of classmates where “being the best” is normal is the real challenge. The Ivy environment creates a level of competition within the student body that is both extreme and sometimes crushing.
Prospective students looking at one of these schools should not only be concerned with what it takes to get in, but also consider what it takes to get out successfully.
Ivy’s and Elites: Privilege & Prestige
It can be assumed based on the growing number of applications each year, attending an Ivy or Elite is a dream for many. With acceptance rates in the single digits, the chosen few who are selected to attend are among the best and brightest in the country and their reward will be unparalleled opportunities and experiences.
Among the many benefits ivy and elite students enjoy after bragging rights include: access to a world-class education and resources, connection to an alumni group with noteworthy influence and the prospect of impressive starting salaries after graduation.
It’s quite a privilege to be among the nations elite and that fact is not lost on any student who receives an invitation to attend. Years of hard work and dedication are recognized for those selected and now it’s time to realize the dream.
However, upon arrival, a reality sets in that being valedictorian, getting a perfect score on the SAT or even starting a small non-profit is unimpressive when surrounded by a cohort of students who have all achieved similar accomplishments or better. Once a big fish in a small pond, ivy and elite students are now barracudas in a small puddle, fighting each other for accolades and a feeling of superiority that signals success in this new environment.
Getting In was Only the Beginning
The floating duck syndrome, coined at Stanford University, is an idea that college students often present images of themselves that look to be calm and at ease when in fact, they are struggling to stay afloat; in the same way a duck floats gracefully across a lake but in reality is paddling like mad under the water.
This syndrome is especially relevant at ivy’s and elites where pressures exist an intense level. Students compete with each other academically and socially to hold and retain a position of dominance within a contrived hierarchy designed to instill grit and perseverance.
Attending an ivy or elite can come with some drawbacks that could profoundly impact not only your experience at the school but also life afterwards. Students should consider these drawbacks thoughtfully before committing to such an extreme experience.
The Financial Burden
With privilege and prestige comes cost. It’s no secret that ivy's and elites are among the most expensive schools to attend, some approaching six figures a year. For students with demonstrated financial need many of schools are happy to offer scholarships covering the entire cost of attendance but for students in the middle class, too much money to be need-based and not enough to just write a check, no such luck.
This causes many students who were fortunate enough to get accepted to contemplate taking on thousands of dollars of debt to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity. That specter of future debt serving as a constant reminder that success at school and beyond is no longer a triumph but is now a necessity to ensure student loans can be repaid.
Intense Academic Rigor
Having a reputation as being the best of the best as ivy’s and elites do, does not come without intense academic rigor. Outside of class time, students spend a significant amount of time, each day, on homework and studying. The stress and pressure of getting assignments done in a timely manner but also done well enough to receive the high marks many students are accustomed to can take it’s toll.
Getting your first C or even B for that matter can cut down one’s pride and self-worth. The hit to the ego, as well as the GPA, is not taken lightly. Emotional distress due to grades can negatively impact a students well-being. In fact, Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania both recently eliminated once coveted deans’ lists citing they were causing students to experience unnecessary stress.
Published or not, students especially those at this level, will compare themselves to each other and their past performances. This can and will cause pressure to overwork and overextend to ensure you are meeting minimum personal goals, if not competitive scores, within your peer group on campus.
An Unprecedented Level of Competition
Grades alone are the only element of competition on campus, just about every other activity, position and club poses an opportunity to prove oneself better than others. In many cases, students are asked to apply, interview and be accepted into extra-curricular activities on campus. Instead of being an outlet to let off some steam from classes and classwork, these activities are yet another place to create exclusion for exclusivities sake, creating anxiety in places where it need not exist.
Harvard for example utilizes a process called “comping” which stands for competence but is really a competition for the privilege of joining campus organizations and clubs. Students must “prove their worth” if they want to participate in what should otherwise be elective and/or voluntary activities. Instead, they are made to compete against each other adding to an already emotionally exhausting existence on campus.
Thriving Despite the Pressure
Just the same as you wouldn’t join the military without certain expectations for performance and culture, do the same for the ivy’s and elites. If you know yourself to be someone who would not be intimidated but in fact challenged by an uber competitive campus life then by all means embrace it.
However, if you were hoping for smooth sailing after the grind of high school and really don’t see yourself maintaining at this extreme level for 4 or more years then maybe reconsider where else you might want to attend. It can be tough to forego the bragging rights and say no to a once in a lifetime opportunity, but at the end of the day you should do what’s good for you and not just what’s good for your resume.