The big Ivy League question?

I have two questions. Everyday I stay after school and I hear my friends debating about the Ivy league schools and it's starting to get annoying. Anyone blog and tell me your answers because now I'm curious. What is the "PASSION" that the Ivy leagues are looking for. Is it a good athlete, soemthing you love to do????? And do you think the Ivy league schools are overated or are they they best colleges you could go to???? I'm confused. I REALLY appreciate your thoughts because I'm so curious to what other people think on these topics. Thank You !!

The big Ivy League question?
It's about being a well-rounded individual. They want someone who excels academically (of course), but they are also looking for students that spend a good deal of time involved in a VARIETY of other interests. However, school should always be top priority. Don't let your grades suffer because you participate in a sport.





And when I say they want a variety of interests I don't mean do 500 things- admissions people can tell you're just involved in them to bolster your resume. Become involved in one sport or club that you really enjoy, but also do some community service or have a job. Discuss how you find it meaningful in your essays.





I'm a bit biased, but I think you'll receive an excellent education at an Ivy. However, you need to think about what you want to do in the long run before even applying to one. For example, if you want to be an engineer and get into both MIT and Columbia's Fu, go to MIT even though it's not an Ivy. Yes, it's nice to have the Ivy brand stamped across your *ss (you get one at orientation), but you don't NEED it.
Reply:You don't need to go to an ivy league schol to get a good education. However, where there is good money, there is good education, better research, better facilities.





I have worked at Harvard but studied in a non-ivy league university (Top 30). I wouldn't say there was a significant difference. In fact depending on your field, some non- ivy universities provide more advanced facilities (i.e. optics at U of Rochester or Medicine at UW-Madison).





I did biology and i would say, for my subject, being smart is only half of the game. You need to be very dedicated, disciplined and hard-working to achieve in life. Ivy league Universities recieve applications from very intelligent people. So they have to base their decisions on ambition, or what you call "passion" because almost all of the applicants are intelligent.





That is, they try and judge how likely is it that you will keep your hard work for 4 years, during your PhD, or life?





You need to illustrate that you have consistently achieved and that you will do so in the future..
Reply:I am a senior in high school and I think that this was an awesome question. My ex-boyfriend is a freshman at Harvard this year. He's not rich, not poor either but he went to a pre-college summer program. In my opinion, this is what got him in; it showed his dedication to his education (he gave up his entire summer). While Ivy Leagues seem to be great for making you an overnight celebrity and getting the oohs and aahhs out of the family, you can get a valuable education for much less at highly-ranked state schools like Rutgers (called a public Ivy) and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. I hope this helped.
Reply:its their dedication and passion to the school and to their future career. i don't really think they're overrated, they just want to be the best as they can be....
Reply:passion = big donation
Reply:Well, first, if you come from money, they'll take you in a heart-beat, and you have to come from a prep school. But really, those schools are snobs, go to some tiny private liberal arts college, because they care about both you and your education, not your money. I do think Ivy's are overated.
Reply:my son went to Columbia in NYC, one of the 8, just finished off paying his riduculously high loans.......all scholarships are need based.....we are not rich enough to have just written a check, nor poor enough to get any scholarship.....was it over rated?...in my opinion way over rated......he went for two years and finished up his under graduate at the university of montana....then on to u mass for masters.......


I found and still do, it to be a way over rated league....My daughter is finishing up this year at the university of N%26gt;H. In my opinion, much better school, and much less money.....I think the big 8 are around 50 k a year......now.......and w/o scholarships...you are really going to owe a ton.....





the only thing that is good is the possible future networking for your career, but you can also do that at university....so in this moms opinion.....no....not worth it.....hope that helps. Good luck to you and forget their passion...think about your own....





sorry to clever above me......really....i read your response after mine and i don't mean it if it sounded offensive in any way...just to say that for him it didn't work wonders...and we were left owing so much $........hope it works well for you....
Reply:c