Ivy League Schools: What They Are and Why They're So Special

What is an Ivy League school?

The Ivy League is a group of 8 private universities on the northeastern coast of the United States. The schools are known for their rigorous academic standards and competitive admissions process.

Ivy Leagues are:

• Famous for their academic excellence: all 8 schools are ranked in the top 20 world university rankings.
• Some of the oldest educational institutions in the USA, with the first school, Harvard University, founded in 1636.
• Very expensive, with annual tuition costs topping $60,000.

While their official name is the Ivy League, the schools are often referred to as “the Ivies.”

Why are they called Ivy League schools?

Believe it or not, the term "Ivy League" originally referred to an athletic conference, not academics!

The story goes back to 1954, when 8 private colleges in the Northeastern US formed an athletic conference for NCAA Division I sports.

These schools shared similar academic standards, admissions selectivity, and values around balancing academics and athletics, and decided to team up and form a 'league'.

🌿 The schools were already old, prestigious, and had historic buildings covered in ivy, which led to the nickname “Ivy League.”

How to get into an Ivy League school

The Ivies have very selective admissions processes.

Most of the schools require you to submit your:

• Academic transcripts
• SAT or ACT score
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement/motivation letter
• Proof of extracurricular activities

SAT and ACT scores

The average SAT scores at Ivy League schools are high.

• On average, Ivy League students score between 1,450 and 1,580.
• Generally, you'll need an SAT score above 1,450 to enrol.

25% or more of the students applying to Ivies submitted a perfect score on their math section in the academic year 2022-2023.

Here are some averages:

Why are Ivies considered prestigious?

Ivy League schools are known for their top-notch education, strong academic programs, and a long history of excellence.

But the main reasons why people revere Ivy Schools include:

🔬 Academic excellence. Ivies have it all: outstanding professors, quality research, bright and ambitious student bodies.

💰 Strong funding. USA invests billions in academic research, and especially so when it comes to Ivy League schools. They have cutting-edge technology and plenty of resources to spend.

🧠 They're melting pots of intellectualism. These schools have very selective admissions processes, so they attract some of the brightest and most motivated students from all over the world.

🕸️ Networking. Many alumni go on to become leaders in fields like business, law, science, politics, and education.

💼 Career benefits. Graduating from an Ivy League school is a big deal, as they have strong brands worldwide, especially schools like Harvard and Yale. Employers will recognize your knowledge and skills.

Famous Ivy League school alumni

What do Franklin D. Roosevelt, Elon Musk and Michelle Obama have in common? They all studied at an Ivy League school!

Some of the most famous alumni from Ivy League schools include:

• Jeff Bezos (Princeton)
• Elon Musk (Pennsylvania)
• Barack Obama (Harvard)
• Mark Zuckerberg (studied at Harvard but didn't graduate)
• George H. W. Bush & George W. Bush (Yale)
• Emma Watson (Brown)
• Natalie Portman (Harvard)
• Warren Buffett (Columbia)
• Neil deGrasse Tyson (Harvard, Columbia)
• F. Scott Fitzgerald (Princeton)
• Robert Frost (Dartmouth)
• Toni Morrison (Cornell)

What are the most common Ivy League degrees?

Ivy League universities have many different faculties and schools, but there are a few majors that tend to be most popular with students.

The top 3 most popular majors at Ivy League universities include:

1. Computer science
2. Economics
3. Political science

Do Ivy Leagues give scholarships?

Many Ivy League schools offer scholarships to help students pay for their education.

Some of these scholarships are needs-based, while others are merit-based.

• Harvard University recently changed its policies to make it so that families earning up to $100,000 will have all billed expenses covered.
• Additionally, Columbia University offers the Lenfest Scholarship, which provides full-tuition scholarships to students from families with annual incomes below $60,000.

Besides scholarships provided by Ivy League universities themselves, you can also apply for educations.com scholarships:

🧑 Adult Learner Scholarship ($4,000)

🗽 Study a Bachelor's in the USA Scholarship ($5,000)

🌎 Go Global MBA Scholarship ($7,000)

🩺 Global Access to Medicine Scholarship ($10,000)

💃 Women's Scholarship for International Students ($5,000)

🌉 Graduate Study in the USA ($5,000)

🔬 Undergraduate in STEM Scholarship ($5,000)

Do Ivy League schools give athletic scholarships?

No, Ivy League schools don't offer athletic scholarships.

However, the schools do provide need-based financial aid in general, just not strictly tied to athletics.

If you need financial aid, and are an American citizen or eligible non-citizen, considering applying for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Schools that are commonly mistaken for Ivy League

There are a number of schools that are often mistaken for Ivy League schools. These include but are not limited to:

• Stanford University
• Duke University
• MIT
• Caltech
• NYU
• UC Berkeley
• Johns Hopkins University
• Boston University

While these schools are all excellent institutions to get a degree in, they are not Ivy League schools.

Conclusion

Ivy League schools are some of the most reputable universities in the United States, they offer world-class education and unparalleled academic and social opportunities.

If you're looking for a challenging learning environment and want to be surrounded by some of the brightest students in the country, then an Ivy League school may be right for you.

However, keep in mind that acceptance rates are low. If you want to attend an Ivy League school, prepare yourself academically for what will be a long but hopefully rewarding process.