Ivy League Education Will Get You Analysis

Throughout high school, students are prepped for college. Almost the entire curriculum revolves around getting into or being prepared for college. Many of these students are independent and intelligent individuals. College may be the perfect place for them. Linda Lee contemplates the fact that even though statistics show that college graduates make the most money, the statistics also point out that these students were “the brightest and hardest-working” students. There are also students that fall between the cracks of these statistics. Some students may be skilled in certain areas, but do not make the test scores to apply for a university. Others may be on the

Many middle to lower class families cannot afford to send their kids to school and with Ivy League schools like Harvard and Princeton giving out generous financial packages to their student, who mostly come from wealthy background. The poorer students are on the losing end because they are not given the opportunity for aid. As Terry Hartle, the senior vice president of the American Council of Education, says, "Smart poor kids go to college at the same rate as stupid rich kids." What this is saying is that the wealthy families have vastly more opportunity to succeed in the college system even though they have equal or lesser smarts. Well respected schools such as NYU are now admitting students based on the financial fit not by merit.

First they reveal that there is not enough information available for prospective students to research possible colleges to decide if that institution would be beneficial for them (Pg.220, Para.1). They proceed to document several efforts that attempt to solve this problem, such as the College Scorecard and PayScale college rankings (Pg. 220, Para.3). However they claim that these efforts are not enough and more must be done. The authors insist that in addition to providing information, students need assistance with increasing the ROI of their college education. They suggest that colleges should work to ensure that more of their students graduate (Pg.221, Para. 3). Also, students should have help discovering how much financial aid they are eligible for, as they often underestimate the amount they could earn (Pg. 122, Para. 2). Owen and Sawhill reveal that future college students are often confused when it comes to choosing an institution and finding help to graduate and pay tuition. Therefore they use pathos to connect with their reader’s compassion for these students. Suggestions on how to assist these students are offered. Overall the argument is strengthened as the authors unveil certain needs of students through

College has become a significant chapter in the lives of many Americans today. In most cases, to reach the well-paying and dreamed-of careers, students must have a bachelor's degree or higher in a certain field of expertise — typically from a university. While this is true, many students have realized that university-level education, even in-state, is not cheap. With tuition rates on the rise, college is beginning to be seen as more of a burden than an opportunity. Although scholarships and financial aid decrease the net cost of attending college, the majority middle class students are not equipped with enough aid to graduate debt free, or even close to it.

Recently there has been a lot of debate about the importance of college education. Students are asking if it’s worth the debt to attend a four year university or community college. Some are thinking what are the benefits of a degree is in the workforce. With college tuition increasing and state fundings lowering, low income students are struggling to attain a higher education. College institutions should have a role to provide students higher education and equal opportunity to students to increase social mobility yet intergenerational reproduction of privilege has produced inequality in education.

From a young age, accomplishment is associated first with monetary gain and then with going to a good college. While my peers and I are currently fixated on the latter, Outliers has shown us there is no need to be. With Nobel prize winners coming from anywhere from MIT to Holy Cross and Stanford to Rollins (Gladwell, 81-82), success is not determined by the higher learning institution one chooses to go to, although it certainly does not hurt to attend a prestigious one. As I look to the application process I am deterred by many things that should send me towards success. Being a Caucasian, upper-middle class citizen, I am perhaps the most replaceable student in the world with thousands just like me, hoping for the same chance I look forward too. However, I feel it is what I have done in the summers that will set me apart. Karl Alexander realized that privileged students tend to ‘outlearn’ underprivileged children over the summer, something I am beginning to see more clearly. This past summer, I was fortunate enough to be part of the 6-percent accepted to the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes for Business and Entrepreneurship. It took only a few days to realize that I was the only true ‘white kid’. With the majority coming from Asian descent, the only other kid at the camp who may have been Caucasian came from a Panamanian family. As I noticed this, I realized

According to Lewis and Zaidane, “The cost of college prevents many low-income Americans from even seeking a higher education. Forty-eight percent of adults aged eighteen to thirty-four without degrees told the wall street journal that they can’t afford to go to college” (588). This evidence shows that people are struggling to pay for college and some people are afraid of enrolling in to a college because of the cost. Nonetheless, Allan and Thompson discuss that most of the students who go to Harvard do not end up paying full price, and most students take advantages of taking grants and scholarships (581). However, their information is not true because they only talked about Harvard University, and they did not mention how many students get scholarships or take grants.

In, Leo Gerard's article, " Grading Colleges on Access to the American Dream", the author illustrates the tremendous problem of college affordability, which is a growing issue in America. While author primarily focuses on the current issue of college affordability, he also evokes memories of a time when attending college was less difficult. The author begins his argument by stating the importance of colleges and the American Dream. He outlines Obama's plan to grade colleges based on tuition, scholarships, and financial aid. He states that Obama's plan will help restore the chance for all people to attain the American Dream. The author then compares our generation to the past, as he describes the circumstances for teens growing up in the 1960s

Washington University. Columbia. University of Pennsylvania. Harvard. Brown. Yale. It’s no surprise that these top-ranking, prestigious schools also rank among the nation’s most stressful universities. Stories surrounding these schools spread like wildfire, reporting of students committing suicide, or dropping out of school due to the overwhelming expectations set for them. This is the life of one particular Columbia University student, Nayla Kidd, who decided to escape a life of stress. This past April and May, completely cutting herself off from outside contact, Kidd staged a “disappearance” in order to isolate herself from school and pursue a nontraditional lifestyle. Overnight, she became an example for students everywhere, inspiring them to life the lives they want instead of conforming to what society wants them to be. Though difficult to see amongst

In Daniel Golden’s The Price of Admission: How America 's Ruling Class Buys Its Way into Elite Colleges--and Who Gets Left outside the Gates, he makes the argument of how Ivy League schools are being unfair to the academically advanced students who don’t fall into a special social category the universities are rejecting to make room for mediocre students with high status or pleasing characteristics. He explains how Ivy League schools are accepting the rich, the legacies, the famous, the athletically strong, the faculty children, or the minorities over excelling students with no special prestige.

When the committee chooses the applicants that they want, they choose kids with very unique qualities. They have to stand out from others and be well rounded; basically be perfect in the university eyes. Those kids would be described as stereotypical ultra-high achieving elite college students or in James Atlas words “Super People”. William Deresiewicz shared his own personal experience about being in the Ivy Leagues in his article. “These enviable youngsters appear to be the winners in the race we have made of childhood”, said Deresiewicz. He watched many of his students on campus and realized that the reality is different. The elite education system has students who are smart and driven but also students who are insecure and clueless to their purpose in this world. They are great at what they do but they don’t really know why they are doing it. Many students hide behind this façade and hide their fears, anxiety or depression. It’s very unhealthy, but they will do whatever they have to do to succeed. The students are terrified of failing, it’s very scary and they can’t take that risk because it could jeopardize their future. Some students leave the Ivy League schools because they felt as if the environment was stifling their soul. They want to experience getting a real education and live life to the

In the New York Times article, “College’s High Cost, Before You Even Apply,” Tara Parker-Pope argues that the high-stress atmosphere of college application season experienced by high achieving students is detrimental to many aspects of student’s lives. Tara weaves the impressive argument that for many students, college admissions; especially to selective universities, may seem to hold a golden ticket at a terrible expense. Health, happiness and mental stability to name a few. These detrimental issues brought on by higher education woes are problems that escape J.D. Salinger’s protagonist in his most famous novel, Catcher in the Rye. In a sharp contrast to Holden Caulfield, The New York Times article features high-achieving students rushing into adulthood through a high education medium and are convinced that college acceptance is a precursor to a fulfilled career and a successful

Many students entering college may discover that they are not prepared for college curriculum courses. These students enter college courses facing a major issue. They find that high school has not adequately prepared them for the difficulty of college level courses. These students lacked the sufficient basis in being well equipped for advanced careers and college entry. These students have suffered a great inequality prevalent throughout high schools since several high schools do not receive equivalent aid. The unequal funding in high schools prevents students from attaining the same education that other students in different areas may receive. Unequal school funding in secondary schools

For the past half a century education has been heralded as the key to success. Parents across the country preach to their children that, providing they acquire a college education and degree, the world is their oyster. The documentary “Ivory Tower”, directed by Andrew Rossi, calls that whole notion into question. The biographical film opens at the University of Harvard, the nations oldest institution of higher learning, on move-in day. Hundreds of new students and their parents flood the campus grounds of one of America’s most prestigious universities. From there, in order to provide a complete overview of the complete college experience, several other types of colleges are shown; such as community, 2-year, and vocational schools. Each is examined in turn to determine both the positive and negative aspects.

In today 's world where the population, especially of the United States, is growing gloriously diverse, institutions of higher education must also reflect this aspect in their student body. The purpose of colleges and universities is to provide students with the education and experience they need to succeed after graduating as well as expand their thoughts and perspectives. Thus, they must create and maintain a similar environment in which students will live and work in the future. Although diversity has been emphasized as a priority for many schools, socioeconomic diversity is often disregarded. However, socioeconomic diversity plays an important role in developing the perspectives and minds of students. Thus, it is essential for the admission offices, especially of prestigious universities like the University of Pennsylvania, to recruit and admit more economically disadvantaged students as well as for the schools to meet the needs of and maintain those students.