Ivy-league prestige is only due to its history?

Question

The ivy-league has the oldest coleges in the US. I think that might be their main reason for all their prestige. For all we know an Ivy-league school could be just as good as any state school. I think they're held in high esteem because they were the first schools in the country, and no one could look anywhere to other education at first. Hence all these great scholars attended ivy league schools and thats how the ivies got their rep. I've read several articles on how ivy league education is comparable to many other colleges. We have a lot more options now, but yet people consider the ivies the best of the best, when in reality that esteem might just been based on the fact that they were founded before any other school. anyone agree?

Answer 1

They're still top notched schools. Sure, it's being propped up based on history, but that's not their fault. The best want to attend the most famous/best schools. By going there, they keep the Ivies top notch. Whether it's students, instructors, whatever, if the best keep going there, the Ivies will stay top notch.

People in the know also know that there are other schools who are just as good as the Ivies. The Stanfords, Berkeley's, Michigan's, Virginia's, Southern Ivies, etc. Lots more people now. Lots more brilliant people. Ivies can't hold them all.

Answer 2

I only partially agree. I went to a public university and am now at an Ivy League law school, and I can tell you that there is a vast difference in the education I received versus what my classmates who went to Ivy League colleges received.

It may have all started because they were the only ones around, but it's self-perpetuating, and the best students will still go to the "best" schools, and the best scholars will teach there. As the graduates go on to do big things, they also contribute more money to their schools, so that the highest ranked schools also have the largest endowments (which lets them better their school even more, which gets even better candidates, who become more successful, and give more money back; it's a big cycle). This all results in perpetually higher rankings for the Ivy League schools.

But keep in mind that many of the highest ranked undergraduate colleges are not Ivy League -- Stanford, Caltech, UVA (which is public), UC Berkeley (also public). The Ivy League is really just a sports league.

If you're arguing that you can get an equally good education at *some* public schools, or at *some* other colleges, I fully agree. But the average public school does not offer as rigorous of courses, as scholarly of professors teaching, or as stimulating an academic environment. But you can still go to a public school and get a normal good job.