Busting The Ivy Myth

Guess what? Harvard has finally caved and decided to let me in! Cue the confetti and fanfare because life's about to become a whirlwind of endless reading, coffee-induced all-nighters, and a never-ending battle against towering textbooks. But hey, I'm about to join an Ivy League, so everything’s going to transform into an unmissable spectacle, right? Wrong.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." These poignant words by W.B. Yeats encapsulate the essence of what education truly represents: a spark that ignites passions, fuels ambitions, and shapes destinies. The genesis of this blog is nurtured via a daunting reality in thousands of homes across the globe. Students spend their childhoods working towards one goal, only to realise that their journey truly begins in university. For them, all the hard work, sweat, and tears are worth it as long as they get into an “Ivy League” school.

A pervasive myth has haunted the halls of academia for generations past—a myth that has captured the dreams of the greatest minds—instilling an erroneous belief that success is confined within the ivy-covered walls of a select few institutions. In this blog, I aim to help us all take a pause for a moment, take a deep breath and unravel this illusion, for the truth is far more compelling, more diverse, and vastly different from what this story proclaims. Let us embark on a journey where we truly bust the Ivy myth.

For starters, just consider the staggering numbers—the acceptance rates of Ivy League schools stand at a mere 5% or lower, with annual tuition fees soaring above $50,000, making it an almost “rich-only” school. The quest for admission into these revered institutions has transformed into a high-stakes gamble, inflicting stress, anxiety, and financial strain on aspiring students and their families.

Recently, I came across the journey of an exceptional student on the Instagram page of the popular “Limmy Talks”. Despite facing substantial socioeconomic challenges, they displayed brilliance that transcended conventional boundaries. They had an asteroid named after them for groundbreaking contributions to science, served as CEO of a business valued at $400,000, and held the position of CTO in another valued at $350,000. Yet, despite unmatched determination, they were rejected from every Ivy League school they applied to. This individual, whose achievements eclipsed academic norms, was deemed “unworthy” by the gates they aspired to enter!

Before you read on, I would like you to just scan through that paragraph above and realise the pure craziness of this situation and the surge of emotions they might have gone through as they faced rejection, despite being what some might term “perfect”.

This prevalent fixation has, rather frustratingly, perpetuated a skewed view of success in education. The time to recalibrate our metrics has arrived. Success must not be measured solely by the name on a diploma or the emblem adorning a university gate but by the depth of knowledge gained, the skills honed, the obstacles overcome, and the positive impact made on the world. We must collectively strive towards a world where the aspiring artist's canvas is as revered as the Ivy League scholar's research paper, where the entrepreneur's innovative venture is esteemed as much as the corporate executive's title.

To end on a slightly personal note, I recently visited Al Manzil: a school empowering students with special needs. Their educational journey was like a tipping point for me, shattering any preconceived notions that the overly stereotyped society had fallaciously coded into my mind. These extraordinary individuals were excelling in fields like English literature, professional photography, and advanced computer programming—redefining success on their terms. They weren’t from Harvard or Yale, yet they were truly redefining what happiness and achievement meant.

In conclusion, I would like to urge you all to break free of the limited perceptions we sometimes might have and embrace the vivid opportunities that await us. Let us celebrate all knowledge, innovation, and talent across numerous institutions. Together, let’s champion the value of education in its myriad forms and pave the way for a world where excellence knows no boundaries.