Interestingly, a sportswriter discontented with his reporting assignment first introduced the expression Ivy League. When he made a derisive remark about watching the ivy grow, another reporter overheard him and coined the phrase Ivy League. Ivy refers to the plant that grows in abundance on each of the school’s properties. Initially, the expression Ivy League represented an agreement made by eight University presidents to compete against each other at least once every five years in an intercollegiate football league.
Today, this esteemed group of universities represents academic excellence, intellectual achievement, and social elitism. Members include Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale. Additionally, although not a part of the original eight, schools like Stanford University have reputations of equal caliber and in some experts’ opinion, supersedes those of the Ivy League. Additional terms used to describe prestigious universities include the little ivies for small, private colleges and the public ivies for prestigious public universities.
Several similarities can be attributed to an Ivy League University. For instance, their student population size is rarely more than 14,000 students, which guarantees an attractive student to faculty ratio. Also, Ivy League members are generally well endowed by wealthy alumni who offer cash donations and other investments including buildings and land. Of course, the tuitions required at these institutions are quite expensive with annual student costs totaling $20,000 or more. Because these institutions are recognized as the best education has to offer, they are extremely selective in their enrollment process. Not surprisingly, Ivy League schools also provide its students the opportunity to network with other future business leaders with the same social and economic status. Further, students receive the chance to interact with professors considered experts in their respective fields.
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The U.S. News and World Report consistently rank Ivy League schools near the top of its college and university rankings and within one percent of the financial endowment global rankings. One significant difference identified in their approach to undergraduate education is their emphasis on a liberal arts foundation. This is very different from their counterparts, which offer vocational training programs in addition to liberal arts. The liberal arts model primarily focuses on improving students’ learning capabilities and making them better overall citizens.
To gain admittance in an Ivy League university, the applicant must participate in a rigorous selection process. For example, one of the selection criteria requires qualified students to score well on the scholastic aptitude test or SAT. Further, students must continue to build an impressive profile by participating in extracurricular activities. Of course, successful candidates will have achieved high grade point averages in certain high school courses. Finally, applicants are required to complete additional standardized tests to assess scholastic aptitude.
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