Getting into the Ivy League? For those who can afford it, the choice falls on the most prestigious universities in the world, specifically the American ones belonging to the Ivy League. This expression was first used by Stanley Woodward, a reporter from the New Herald Tribune. Originally conceived in the ’50s and ’60s as a sports association for university athletes, over time, it became the symbolic acronym for powerful universities.
Initially, only students from wealthy families were accepted, but following the civil rights movement, these universities, with accredited sports traditions, opened their doors to students from other social classes. Even so, the difficulty of entering one of the Ivy League universities remains undeniable, with a rejection rate of 94% for both American and foreign students.
The acceptance process is complex and demanding and often does not take merit into account, as highlighted by numerous publications. Criticisms target the donation mechanism, where wealthiest American families make contributions to these prestigious universities. While this allows universities to recruit the best professors without worrying about finding funds, it favors a system based on family wealth rather than meritocracy.
Thus, universities lose their function as a “social elevator,” preventing the best minds from emerging, which detrimentally affects the states of origin of the student and the entire research network. On average, attending an Ivy League university costs approximately $52,000 annually, in addition to housing costs of around $20,000.
However, entering an Ivy League school is considered an investment: students can recover what they paid in just a few years through their first post-graduate positions. Many students also value the network of acquaintances formed by alumni of these prestigious universities, which helps them access high levels in the job market.
In Italy, Bocconi, Politecnico, and Luiss are comparable to American Ivy League universities. Thanks to a school system that recognizes merit and its benefits, you can graduate in Italy without large economic resources. Italian students often surpass those enrolled in Ivy League universities, confirming that the difference lies in “human capital.”