What is the Ivy League?
The Ivy League is made up of eight elite northwestern universities in the USA. It was originally conceived as an athletic league, to encourage the schools to play each other, and was founded in 1954. The following universities make up the prestigious, world-famous Ivy League:
- Harvard
- Princeton
- Yale
- UPenn
- Dartmouth
- Cornell
- Brown
- Columbia
Ivy League Rankings, 2023
| University | US News National Rankings | QS world rankings |
|---|---|---|
|
Yale |
5 |
18 |
|
Princeton |
1 |
16 |
|
UPenn |
8 |
13 |
|
Harvard |
2 |
5 |
|
Dartmouth |
13 |
205 |
|
Cornell |
17 |
20 |
|
Columbia |
2 |
22 |
|
Brown |
14 |
63 |
Caveat:
At first glance, it may appear strange that Dartmouth is highly ranked in the US News listings, but not in QS. This is entirely down to the criteria used to compile the rankings, since research plays a predominant role in the QS evaluations.
Overview of Ivy League Universities
The Ivy League universities have a number of traits in common: they are among the finest academic institutions in the world; they have huge endowments and thus the best resources and staff money can buy; they are situated in a really cold region of the US and winters can be hard – and freezing. In addition, getting a place at an Ivy League institution is a demanding and difficult task, and one which needs to be started well in advance and planned carefully.
The Ivy League campuses differ in architectural style and size, with collegiate Gothic Princeton regularly being voted the most attractive, followed by Cornell, with its breathtaking landscape, and then Yale – while Harvard’s glorious Widener library regularly receives an honourable mention. If you believe that you need the anonymity of a large institution, or the intimate community feel of a smaller university, then the following chart will give you a general picture of each Ivy League university:
| University | Location | Founded | Size overall/undergraduate | Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yale |
New Haven |
1701 |
14,560/6,530 |
Bulldogs |
|
Princeton |
Princeton |
1746 |
8,478/5,321 |
Tigers |
|
UPenn |
Philadelphia |
1740 |
28,030/11,292 |
Quakers |
|
Harvard |
Cambridge |
1636 |
31,345/9,579 |
Crimson |
|
Dartmouth |
Hanover |
1769 |
6,760/4,556 |
Big Green |
|
Cornell |
Ithaca |
1865 |
25,480/13,280 |
Big Red |
|
Columbia |
NYC |
1754 |
33,770/8,832 |
Lions |
|
Brown |
Providence |
1764 |
10,690/7,349 |
Bears |
As you can see, some university teams are referred to by colour and others by mascot. Intervarsity matches are incredibly competitive, important, and attract huge crowds to cheer on their teams. Currently, Princeton is the top Ivy League school for athletics, basketball, football, rowing, women’s lacrosse and volleyball – with Harvard coming second, and UPenn rising through the ranks and snapping at their heels.
Choosing a course at an Ivy League University
While it is certainly important to decide where you would like to live and study for four years, you must not overlook the fact that specific Ivy League universities are renowned for their research in particular fields, and that not every university will necessarily offer the course you want to take. For example, Princeton does not have a medical school, and Princeton, Dartmouth and Brown do not have law schools.
The following table gives you an idea of Ivy League university specialisms, the staff to student ratio, and the overall “feel” of the campus.
Main information:
| University | Subjects | Staff to student ratio | Ethos and disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Yale |
Political Science
and
Government, Psychology,
History,
Economics, Law |
6:1 |
Sense of
community, beautiful
setting,100 per cent of students live on campus, in
shared suites of a high
standard/New Haven can
be depressing. |
|
Princeton |
Public Policy
Analysis,
Computer
Hardware
Engineering,
Economics,
Philosophy |
5:1 |
Over half of students find
Princeton academically
focussed and challenging,
with highly supportive
staff/Extremely
competitive, food is not
fantastic. |
|
UPenn |
Finance,
Accounting,
Nursing,
Economics
Business,
Medicine |
6:1 |
The philosophy here is
work hard, play hard. It is a
good choice for
independent
individuals/Philadelphia is
a challenging city, not the
most community-spirited
of campuses. |
|
Harvard |
Economics,
Computer
Science,
Anthropology,
Sociology,
History,
Political Science |
7:1 |
Passionate
and
diverse,
exceptionally
committed lecturers,
vibrant social life/Constant
tour groups on campus,
large classes. |
|
Dartmouth |
Neurosciences, Political Science and Government, Mathematics, Economics,
Engineering |
7:1 |
Strong school
culture. Wide variety of
clubs and societies and
many outdoor activities/ A
30 minute drive from
nearest town, Hanover,
very cold winters. |
|
Cornell |
Biology, IT,
Agricultural
Sciences,
Business,
Architecture,
Engineering |
9:1 |
Hard working,
not particularly
sporting, challenging/Large
classes, you need a car,
Ithaca is not an exciting
town. |
|
Columbia |
Research and Experimental Psychology,
Philosophy, English |
6:1 |
A communal spirit, with
many events clubs and
organisations, on-campus
jobs. Diversity and safety
are priorities/New York is
expensive and there is
little on-campus life. |
|
Brown |
Biology,
Economics,
Computational
And Applied
Maths,
Engineering,
Entrepreneurship |
7:1 |
Liberal, progressive, offers
an open curriculum so
students can follow a wide
variety of courses, before
choosing their own field.
Holistic approach to
student achievement/
Harsh winters, very little
free time due to heavy
workload. |
The advantages of attending an Ivy League university
Networking
If you went to the University of Pennsylvania along with Elon Musk, it does not take a huge leap of imagination to recognise how helpful his friendship could be in your future career. Networking is one of the most compelling reasons for applying to an Ivy League university, since who you know is often as important as what you know, at least initially, and the tight, large alumni organisations created by Ivy League universities certainly offer contacts that would be impossible to collect from outside the Ivy League inner circle.
It is virtually impossible to list all the famous businessmen, politicians, heads of state, actors, writers, philosophers, scientists, journalists and entrepreneurs who have an Ivy League pedigree.
To give you an idea of the huge mixture of successful individuals who studied at an Ivy League university, glance through the following:
Harvard: Matt Damon, Barack Obama (US president), Franklin D. Roosevelt (US president)
Yale: Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, George Bush (US president), George W. Bush (US president)
Brown: Emma Watson, John F.Kennedy, Amy Carter, Masi Oka
UPenn: John Legend, Donald Trump (US president), Elon Musk, Noam Chomsky, Warren Buffet
Cornell: Bill Nye, Pearl S. Buck, Toni Morrison, Barbara McClintock
Princeton: Brooke Shields, Jeff Bezos, James Stewart
Dartmouth: Nelson Rockefeller, Robert Frost, Mr. Rogers
Columbia: Christopher Reeve, Jack Kerouac, Jake Gyllenhaal, Isaac Asimov, Milton Friedman.
Internationally recognised actors, inventors, economists, politicians, Olympians, Nobel prize winners have all succeeded in different fields, but are united in the need to excel, to be the very best, to seek success and make a name for themselves. When you come to filling in your Ivy League application form, bear the calibre of past alumni in mind and demonstrate how you, too, can be outstanding, innovative and make a difference to your community and the world we live in.
In addition, you will be able to secure internships in your field more easily if you are studying at an Ivy League university, and this will give you a distinct advantage when it comes to looking for a position on graduating. Certain multinationals recruit directly from Ivy League universities, particularly in the field of business and finance.
Salary benefits of attending an Ivy League university
It has been calculated that graduates from Ivy League universities generally attract above-average salaries, but there is a fierce ongoing debate about whether this is because of the prestige factor and the brand advantage of going to, say, Harvard, or because Ivy League students have made connections which open professional doors once they venture into the world of work.
The principle of Return on Investment (ROI) shows, for example, that a student who goes to Princeton will spend approximately $275,000 on their education and, 20 years later, their ROI will be $895,000- a statistic which emphasises high earning potential and an excellent return on university fees.
| University | Average annual salary upon graduating 2023 |
|---|---|
|
Yale |
$82,600 |
|
Princeton |
$75,800 |
|
UPenn |
$85,600 |
|
Harvard |
$90,000 |
|
Dartmouth |
$74,900 |
|
Cornell |
$76,200 |
|
Columbia |
$82,500 |
|
Brown |
$66,500 |
How difficult is it to get into an Ivy League university?
The short answer is – very!
The first thing you need to think about is whether you are going to apply through the Common App for Early decision/Early action or Regular decision, since the statistics show a wide gap between the number of students who get admitted, according to which option they chose:
| Application | Deadline for application | Benefits | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Early
decision |
1 November |
You will not have to go through
the stress of applying to
multiple universities.
You are more likely to be
offered a place in this round
than Regular decision |
You can only apply to one school
and you are not allowed to
change your mind, because this
is a binding agreement to take
up a place.
You will not know what kind of
financial aid package you will be
offered, so if you do not get the
aid you requested, you will still
be liable to pay the fees.
If you reject the offer of a place,
you cannot reapply there
through Regular decision. |
|
Early action |
1 November |
You can apply to other
universities and wait to see
what financial aid they will give
you, then compare the
packages and make a final
choice.
More people get accepted in this round than in Regular
decision. |
Not offered by every university
(Harvard, Princeton and Yale all
offer early action) |
|
Regular
decision |
1 January |
A more competitive round,
because the pool of applicants
is larger. You will therefore
have to wait longer for a
response. |
Lower acceptance rate. |
Admission rates
The following table compares admission rates according to when you apply to the Ivy League universities:
| University | Overall acceptance rate, percentage | Early decision | Regular decision |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Harvard |
3.2 |
14.5 |
2.8 |
|
Princeton |
4 |
14.8 |
3.8 |
|
UPenn |
5.6 |
18.5 |
6.5 |
|
Yale |
4.5 |
14.7 |
4.7 |
|
Dartmouth |
6.2 |
24.9 |
6.9 |
|
Cornell |
8.7 |
24.3 |
8.3 |
|
Columbia |
3.7 |
15.9 |
4.3 |
|
Brown |
5 |
17.0 |
3.5 |
As you can see, there is a definite advantage to applying for the early round of admissions.
Other factors also need to be taken into consideration, since the numbers do not tell the whole story.
1. Remember that international students are vying for a place with domestic and legacy students. Legacy admissions are 2-3 times more likely to be successful than non-legacy applicants.
2. The overall figures do not reveal course admission statistics. For example, while Brown University may, in theory, have an admission rate of 5 per cent, if you wish to apply for the eight – year highly sought – after Liberal Medical Education course, this figure drops to 3 per cent, and falls to 2.9 if you are applying for the RISD dual degree. Similarly, Cornell’s School of Human Ecology has an acceptance rate of 23 per cent, whereas its Dyson School of Economics and Management only takes 2.9 per cent of applicants, and agriculture and life sciences accepts 11.5 per cent. At Harvard, it is easier to get in to social sciences than biosciences etc. Thus, be careful when you are looking through tables of admissions, and make sure you check your particular department or course to get an accurate picture.
Applying to an Ivy League university
Do I have to sit SAT and ACT examinations?
At present, all the Ivy League universities are test-optional. There is a trend to move away from the standardised testing approach to admissions in the USA and many experts believe that the Ivy League universities will not revert to requiring these tests -although you are free to submit them. If you do decide to send in your scores, the average SAT score should be 1500 upwards, while your ACT score needs to be in the region of 33-35. See a full breakdown of the SAT ACT.
Applying through the Common App
As well as filling in all the educational and personal details required by the Common App, you will also have to answer each Ivy League university’s supplemental questions. These vary from university to university, and range from the straightforward to the more esoteric:
“Genghis Khan with an F1 race car. George Washington with a SuperSoaker. Emperor Nero with a toaster. Leonardo da Vinci with a Furby. If you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together?”
“ Reflect on a time when you have worked to enhance a community to which you feel connected.
Why have these efforts been meaningful to you? You may define community however you like.”
“Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. What values and experiences have led you to believe that becoming a doctor in medicine is the right fit for you?”
These three examples, from Chicago, Yale and Brown give you an idea of the types of prompts you may be given for your essay. Expect word lengths of 200-250 and to be asked to write 2-3 essays.
In addition, you may also come across short 50-75 word questions such as:
What brings you joy?
What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?
Try and answer the short pieces spontaneously, and remember that there is no right or wrong answer. For detailed information on how to apply to the Ivy League click on the following link:
Are Ivy League universities need-blind or need-aware for international students?
At present, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and, most recently, Dartmouth are all need-blind, and commit to covering all your expenses if you are offered a place. Need-blind universities do not ask for any information regarding your financial situation and therefore this does not influence their admissions decision.
Brown University is changing its status to need-blind in 2025.
UPenn, while need-aware, offers generous financial aid to international students and can cover up to 100 per cent of their financial needs.
The Ivy League universities have huge endowments and are famed for supporting their students through financial aid packages.
Tuition fees at Ivy League universities 2023
Unsurprisingly, given their outstanding academics, buildings, resources and campuses, Ivy League university tuition fees, which apply for four years, rather than the three years undergraduates pay in Europe, are hefty.
Here are the tuition fees being charged by Ivy League institutions, based on the fees for 2023 and anticipated rise:
| University | Annual Tuition fees 2023 (estimated) |
|---|---|
|
Harvard |
57,219 |
|
Princeton |
64,680 |
|
UPenn |
63,424 |
|
Yale |
62,288 |
|
Dartmouth |
61,632 |
|
Cornell |
62,799 |
|
Columbia |
64,445 |
|
Brown |
63,955 |
Alternatives to the Ivy League
As the old saying goes, a wise man does not put all his eggs in one basket, and unless you are committed to a specific course at a particular Ivy League university, it is worth considering also applying to outstanding non-Ivies.
These include:
- MIT (ranked 1stst in the QS world university rankings, 2023);
- Stanford (3rd);
- Caltech (6th);
- University of Chicago (10th);
- John Hopkins (24th);
- University of California, Berkeley (27th)
- Northwestern University (32nd).
Elab’s specialist US team of consultants is here to answer any questions you may have, offer guidance and mentorship, and make sure that you maximise your chances of being accepted by an world-renowned Ivy League university – and start an amazing educational journey.
