college 101
ivy league
ARE PRESTIGIOUS
UNIVERSITIES
WORTH THE MONEY?
by Lindsey Justus
Ivy League schools are notoriously selective
with acceptance, and they cost significantly
more than other colleges. People wouldn’t
spend so much on these schools if there
weren’t major perks to attending them, right?
Well, maybe not. Lots of people attend prestigious schools
in hopes that the name of that elite school will stand out
on their resume, but the careers they choose to pursue may
not pay enough to negate the massive debt they’ve accu-
mulated. Is a pricier school really worth your money?
Consider the Pros
Ivy League schools have online networking directories
and forums to connect their graduates and students.
Attending a more prestigious school can give you better
internship opportunities
People hold names like “Harvard” and “Yale” in high
regard. The letters of recommendation you receive from
the professors there could mean more than those from
other schools that have less name recognition.
But is this enough to get
you out of debt after graduation?
Major Matters
When considering your future school, one of the most im-
portant things to think about is your major. According to
The Wall Street Journal, if your major will be in business or
the liberal arts, a more selective school can impact your fu-
ture salary. However, if you’re going into a field like science,
technology, education, or math (STEM), your earnings
won’t really be affected by attending an expensive school.
The Bottom Line
An Ivy League with an expensive price tag may get you a
few steps ahead of everyone else, but the college you attend
isn’t the deciding factor in how successful your life is—you
are!
You Can Be a Harvard Student
Yes, you, reading this article right now.
Regardless of your GPA, you are eligible to learn from some of
Harvard’s top professors, and for less money than you’d think!
Massive Open Online Courses
MOOCs are classes that universities offer to you for no charge.
You have the ability to learn at Harvard’s level in the comfort of
your home. However, unless you pay for a certificate or to audit
the course, there will be no proof you completed this learning
experience. You can use this as a tool to enhance the education
you are already receiving or to prepare yourself for what to
expect in your college courses.
Harvard Extension School
Harvard’s extension school offers 800+ courses you can take to
obtain a diploma. You can study in many different fields, includ-
ing english, biology, anthropology, psychology, and more!
This is the cheaper route to getting a Harvard degree. Tuition
ranges from $1550-$2700 for their 4-credit courses, but
degree-seeking students may apply for financial aid.
How to get in:
1
You need to register for 3
courses, (including a required
English course) that count
toward the degree you’re
pursuing to prove you can
handle the intensity of
Harvard’s classwork.
2
Earn at least a B in those
courses and retain a GPA
higher than 3.0.
3
The Harvard
name comes with
the difficulties
of Harvard’s
classwork, but as
long as you work
hard and stay
focused, you’ll have
a Harvard diploma
with your name
on it!
Submit your application for
enrollment into Harvard’s
extension school. As long as
you meet these requirement s and turn in a complete
application, you will be admitted!
For more info, visit: www.extension.harvard.edu
www.potentialmagazine.com
Summer 2018 |
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