Reasons to invest in an ivy-league education

I had a conversation with someone some time ago on a social media platform and the discussion was basically an argument over which it is better to spend more money on as a parent: a child's elementary/primary school education, or their higher education. As far as the person was concerned the foundation of a child's education is of great importance, and it sets the tone for all that will come after that. As much as I agree with that, there is so much that could be gained from attending ivy-league universities/colleges. As a parent if you have to make a choice about what to spend on, this is a no brainer.

Now to back track a bit, I am originally Nigerian. Where I come from, parents usually fund their children's education up until the very end. Living in Canada I realize that every one is ladened with so much debt that getting your parents to pay for university is praise worthy. Regardless, this article was inspired by talks about what parents should spend on if a decision needs to be made. But this article also applies to people who are trying to decide whether that ivy-league education is worth paying for, and to whether paying that extra thousand dollars for high school is worth it.

Back to the matter. People who have had the opportunity to go to private high schools or ivy-league high schools (& universities)- as the case may be wherever you are, might not quite understand their position of privilege. The first and most basic advantage you have as an ivy-league student (high school and university) is the sort of friends you have access to. Now this may seem trivial but it is not at all. Attending the same school as the daughter/son of a senator for instance is not a matter to be brushed aside. Particularly if you become good friends with those people, as this could open so many doors for you in the future. If you are not from a privileged background and you have your head screwed on right, you would get the opportunity to rub shoulders with people you wouldn't usually have access to and that could lead to boundless opportunities if you know what you are doing.

Still on the topic of connections, the professors are a good reason to pay that extra dollars for ivy-league universities. You get access to highly acclaimed professors, the best minds and the best at what they do. Professors who are not only known in the academic sphere but in government and in other high positions. Again if one has their head screwed on right, these professors could be your gateway to amazing things. If they see you as hard working, or someone who is good at what they do, or even if they just like you, you never know what might come of it.

Now getting to the real stuff, ivy-league universities add so much value to your resume. You have absolutely no idea how discriminatory employers can be as far as your educational background is concerned, regardless of your grades. I mean magna cum laude is great, but summa cum laude in a reputable university might very well take you more places, particularly with big employers. If you are someone like me you are probably looking at places like Bank of Canada, Statistics Canada, Deloitte, PwC, I could go on. These employers care about where you schooled because it's meant to show how smart you are. You are a hot commodity and they want you!

Another real advantage that you get from going to ivy-league universities is the sort of internships you have access to, both in the case of co-op students in university and masters students. The better schools get better internship placements for their students. It might just be an internship but that is a foot in the door! You can never go wrong with an ivy-league university degree and an internship with a reputable company on your resume. You are on your way to better things, obviously.

This leads me to the next best thing. As soon as you are done with your bachelors or masters, you can be sure of getting amazing entry level jobs. Entry level jobs that do not seem like entry level jobs.

You obviously have to do your research so you don't end up being unable to pay off your student loan. But honestly, I do not see how you can go wrong with investing in your education. Especially with a lucrative degree like Finance or Economics :)