U.S News & World Report has finally released its new list and it currently ranks Cornell at number 11. This means that the Big Red not only surpasses Columbia, but also Dartmouth and Brown. While this may be an occasion of tremendous joy for Cornellians across all colleges, it does bring to question: Why are we so obsessed with rankings? Why do these rankings matter so much, and what do they even mean in the grand scheme of things?
To go back in history, the Ivy League began in 1954 as a sports conference. Nowadays, the words “Ivy League” echo prestige, elitism, money and success. Over the years, this group of East Coast colleges grew in size, endowment, age and, of course, prestige. Cornell University was the last to join, and is also the youngest. Established in 1864, Cornell was approximately 95 years younger than the second youngest Ivy, Dartmouth College. Nearly being a century apart from the second youngest proved a hurdle for the Big Red.
As the “runt” of the Ivy pack, Cornell has often been cited as a “fake Ivy.” Why? Because it is 1) the youngest, 2) had an unconventional founding and 3) is partially land-grant. These differences, alongside its size and higher acceptance rate have made it the school that gets kicked down quite often. A popular phrase for Cornell is that it’s “the easiest Ivy to get into, and the hardest to get out of.” This refers to Cornell’s higher acceptance rate and in-class rigor. Compared to Harvard, where grade inflation runs rampant, Cornell has the reputation as the school that “deflates” grades.
These are a few factors that contribute to Cornell’s overall image. The larger student body, the land grant colleges and finally, the fact that Cornell gives more access to middle class families. The median student’s family makes approximately $151,000 a year, and many Cornellians come from New York State due to the land-grant colleges and in-state tuition reduction. Compare this to Brown, Harvard or Yale, where the median annual income ranges from $168,000 to $200,000. In the Ivy League, only Columbia has a median family income lower than Cornell. But why is it that access, reflected by a lower median student income, lowers, rather than raises the prestige of the University?
The answer is simple. Elitism is all about exclusivity, and thus, the more exclusive something is, the more prestigious it is. Along those lines, a program does not necessarily have to be the most rigorous or well taught. Rather, as long as a school has age, selectivity and the backing of powerful names, prestige follows. So to go back, why are we obsessed with these rankings? I believe that it has to do with the fact that getting a spot at prestigious universities is a status symbol. College rankings influence parents’ and students’ decisions alike — they amplify the “prestige factor”; they give students something to shoot for. Getting into Harvard, Yale or any of the top schools stands in for intelligence, dignity and wealth. College rankings only add onto that mindset, as students prepare to apply beyond just wanting an education or to satiate their own curiosities. Besides, what is fundamentally offered at Harvard that cannot be found at a state university in terms of a basic, college education? What is found is a reputation, alongside the opportunities that open with that brand name.
This obsession with elite rankings and “upper Ivies, lower Ivies, HYP” in the college admissions community and beyond creates a dissonance with high school students and the general populace. This dissonance that college rankings create is often distasteful: it encourages crude competition, unethical means of entry (such as paying and cheating on the SAT) and perpetuates a class divide in higher education. Yes, elite colleges may have better resources, but they also come with a hefty price-tag — and oftentimes result in similar career and income outcomes compared to many state schools. Elitism is a divider, and its whole motto is to exclude. Why need a prestigious education be one that is exclusive, especially if that exclusivity largely reflects money and power, rather than accomplishment or intelligence?
Perhaps it is time to disregard college rankings as a decision making factor for higher level education. Quality and fit should be emphasized beyond just a ranking, as at the end of the day, that’s what matters most. A person might feel miserable in the “number 1 college” in the world, but be much happier in the “number 30 college” or maybe even one without a ranking. Why do numbers even matter? In fact, why does the term “fake Ivy” even exist? Why do certain colleges need to be put down to lift others up? Perhaps, it is time to look at the bigger picture: Public schools and community colleges provide the same value the Ivies do. They educate the majority of the U.S. population! In fact, I think it’s time to start believing that a ranked college does not determine one’s future — rather, it is their own work, creativity and ideas that make the difference.
Asfi Tias is a second year student in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her column Thoughts After Midnight focuses on students’ academic and social experiences on Campus with hot takes and political commentary. She can be reached at [email protected].