Category: Ivy League

Louis Menand, the author of the article, Live and Learn: Why we have college (2011), is very informative- about the type of students there is. In this article, Menand’s went into depth about America’s educational system by utilizing the three theories. The first theory is the meritocratic version, and it involves sorting, using test to discover who is the smartest and most intelligent and leaves you with your final grade like your GPA. Theory two explains the democratic method of doing things and learning materials based on the field you want to study. Lastly, the vocational theory explains that college is as scapegoats, where the students can learn what they need to enter an early vacation. Menand’s claim on the dying question was theory two, where he sees that students should go into a field that will financially reward you. In this article, logos, pathos, and ethos will be discussed to see if Menand’s had a logical standpoint if he had established credibility and whether or not it was effective.

Without a doubt, Logos has to be well in the essay because Menand shows logic reason and evidence supporting the theories. Menand indicates that there is a higher demand for education in America, and that speaks to approach one. Taking one test does not confirm whether or not that person is most intelligent. Being open-minded and quick thinkers are some measurements of a smart person, according to Menand.

Which brings us to why there is a higher demand for education, Menand states that in America there is six percent of Americans in college, whereas in other countries like Great Brain and France there is only three percent.

Ethos is a literary device that represents the credibility of the writer or speaker. Menand shows reliability throughout the article, starting with him being a professor at an Ivy League school. Menand taught at Harvard University for nine years, and his principal field of academic interest is 19th and 20th-century American cultural history. Menand is best known for his book “The Metaphysical Club (2001),” which talks about the human history of the 19th and 20th centuries. “He has been a Contributing Editor of The New York Review of Books since 1994” (Pulitzer.1). Menand also published in The New Yorker and has been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1994. Not only was he certified to be a publisher, but he also was honored by Barack Obama for the National Humanities award in 2016. Furthermore, Menand was also awarded the Pulitzer Prize for history, the 2002 Francis Parkman Prize, and The Heartland Prize for Non-Fiction for his book The Metaphysical Club (year) To finish, Menand published a plethora of essays on the prominent figures in American History.

Nevertheless, Menand astounding credulity hence all his awards, led him to demonstrate Pathos. Pathos is the appeal to emotions in ways where the reader can relate and understand that can sway the reader. The feeling built into the essay is a worry. In theory one, “You worry that, with so many Americans going to college, the bachelor’s degrees is losing its meaning.”(Yorker. 6). The emotion built was worrisome because the average theory one person sees that their talent is going to waste because so many people are doing the same thing, which makes them less valuable. For theory two, students fear, and worry was incorporated into the essay because some are worried that the competition in getting into their pristine college is warping their education sense. There is also fear that some can’t pay for their college education, seeing as an Ivy League college is two times more expensive than public college (New Yorker, 7).

On the other hand, Theory one and theory two are perfect for college students preferred for the business side, but what about the non-liberal art students, those students can be more accustomed to theory three. Theory three is where advanced economies demanded set skills for their students, and since college is where you can learn what you need to get your degree and enter an early vacation. Theory three fails to provide a broad intelligence test (theory 1) or an enrichment (theory 2) because those theories are not compatible with today’s jobs. Menands suggest that colleges today are now operating in teaching for today’s career, but they are not doing an excellent job of keeping them.

In essence, Menands theory one explains that “College is, essentially, a four-year intelligence test. Students have to demonstrate intellectual ability over time and across a range of subjects. If they’re sloppy or inflexible or obnoxious—no matter how smart they might be in the I.Q. sense—those negatives will get picked up in their grades.”(New Yorker 2). Meaning that schools are more focused on standardized testing and G.P.A’s. For example, Ivy League schools have a set curriculum and are tested to determine who is the smartest. In which it doesn’t matter if you understand the work, all that matters is the numbers.

“College exposes future citizens to material that enlightens and empowers them, whatever careers they end up choosing(New Yorker 3). In performing this function, college also specializes, for example, it takes people with disparities and struggling backgrounds and brings them into the line of higher education, Menand was never questioned about his teaching until he went from teaching at an Ivy League school to a public school thus making him a theory two believer because of the different backgrounds.

In the final analysis, Menands a theory two-person gives in great detail on how theory one and theory two are applied to the education system, and he also provides a summary about theory three and how there is a theory for all students. Menands was effective in bringing forth this information to his audience because he gave great explanations and had evidence to back up his claims. Menand’s strengths were captivating the audience by bringing in his past and interactions with his students and stating his credibility to us. His weakness was, he could have in better detail explain why he chose to be a theory two-person and explain how he came to be. As a result, Menand’s article was a perfect blend of Logos, Pathos, and Ethos because he gives logic, credibility, and emotion in his work.

What is success? What does it mean when someone uses the word “successful” to describe one’s whole life?

Since people’s views and expectations are varied with each other, different hierarchy of people definitely holds opinions on the definition of success. As a result, everyone has their own interpretation based on the situations of individuals. The methods of obtaining success and its meaning are explored in the articles “Biographies of Hegemony” by Karen Ho and “Project Classroom Makeover” by Cathy Davidson. He describes the success of investment bankers that recruited from the “elite” universities, which are the components of Ivy league, take advantages of the reputation of the “smartness” to create abundant wealth and eventually achieve the meaning of success. Conversely, Davidson conveys the idea of success by discussing the current education system becomes obsolete due to the inefficient teaching methods and practices, and he claims students are supposed to establish certain academic goals in order to obtain success from the aspects of the knowledge of strength, the existence of abilities and diligence.

The unfairness of the educational system and institution creates disparate outcomes from various points of view. But both Davidson and Ho express the meaning of success differently but somehow relate to each other, while all the success are associated with personal superiority and value divergence. The solid foundation of knowledge and spirits establish the path to the final success. On the striving process to success, being perseverant and hardworking are key factors to reach the pinnacle of life. People from different hierarchies keep self-improving to maximize their limited resources and extend their advantages as much as they can to pursuit goals and achieve expectation from others. No matter how intelligent a child is, he still need to receive higher education and professional guides to exploit the talents to the full. Otherwise, all the efforts will be wasted. Davidson talks about how young talents are intentionally designated to the elite universities, as stated that, “What this means for young people who come to an elite private university is that they have taken one of a number of specific routes to get there.

One way is to test to get into the best preschools so you can go to the best private grammar schools so you can be admitted to the most elite boarding schools so you can be competitive at the Ivies or an elite school outside the Ivies like Stanford or Duke” (50). The meaning of success has been vaguely conveyed by Davidson which he mentions the road all the way from insignificance to the greatness is specifically constructed for those young students. The older generation knows exactly how to efficiently achieve success and utilize these methods on their younger generation, which the importance of the education is emphasis by the society. There is no doubt that education plays a vital part in shaping a successful person. It enhances the students’ self-capabilities and adaptaibility to force them to take one step further without the reliance on others. Eventually, they become dominant enough on professional specialties to demonstrate their capabilities.

One of the examples to see whether they are moving closer to success is that whether they get admission from an elite university, which is described as “giving premium value to expertise, specialization, and hierarchy”, and enables their students to develop the superiority over other universities’ students that distinguishes them from the mediocrity. Likewise, Ho also expresses the significance of obtaining a high-quality education. He mentions, “When a Harvard or Princeton education is seen as the normative baseline pedigree it becomes ordinary as well as collective, encompassing, even universal” (184). It is known that colleges like Harvard and Princeton from Ivy League are ranking at the top of the world’s best universities.There are hundred of thousand elite trying to get in these school to show how smart they are or the diligent they become in order to jump in the right track of their years of school. However, the precondition of all beautiful fantasies is to prove you are the most distinct one, equipping with enomerse skills, preeminent foresight and outstanding critical thinking. Besides, examiners evaluate the comprehensive performances mostly by their academic achievement and also extracurricular which need immense interest and passion devoted into it. These help students become fascinated enough to stand out from the crowd and turn it into the reasons why examiners give that special individual the offer but not others. Therefore, the essence of being admissioned by an excellent college is to develop oneself into a better individual.

Personal background has a huge impact on how students show their dominance without any direct contacts and establish the most straightforward signal for others to spot you. Davidson and Ho both discuss the standard of acquiring success and the definitions of their own “success” are similar in term of the capability of building the superiority over others. That’s how their “success” are similar. The value formation influence how individuals view the true meaning behind the success. Some might think holding a high position in a Fortune 500 company is success and creating numerous wealth with no possibilities to be used up in the rest of life is the real meaning of life. Some might consider helping others to achieve their success as his own success. Thus, people’s target and ambition distinct, and it all depends on how individuals value the success. Davison concentrates more on the academical success, as he states, “These key factors for educational success—rigor, relevance, and relationships—have been dubbed the new three Rs … Even on a neurological level, brain researchers have shown that kids improve with directed, special attention to their own skills and interests, the opposite of our move toward standardization” (60).

The aspect of approaching success related to the topics of education is always to satisfy the expectation from the perspective of parents or to prepare for the future from the perspective of the students. Nevertheless, performing well in school does not necessarily means that they know what is the true value of success. It merely shows the importance of following the rules in school or listening to what teacher says. However, the value of success is linked with self-worth for most of the cases. Bringing up the value of oneself, becoming more and more attractive in term of self-values is heavily seen by the meaning of success. Eventually, these goals are primarily targeted by students before their graduates from the college which mostly concerned by their parents. Oppositely, Ho introduces another kinds of success that bases on the mutual benefits. She found out an interesting fact that “not only that most bankers came from a few elite institutions, but also that most undergraduate and even many graduate students assumed that the only suitable destinations for life after Princeton the only sectors offering a truly Princeton-like job were, first, investment banking, and second, management consulting” (169). It sounds pretty unfair for those of students outside the Ivy League to have a chance to go to the company at Wall Street. But those recruiters and students that are being interviewed probably do not agree with that. In the views of the recruiters from the Wall Street, they are looking for the best talents in the world and bring their abilities to their company for further training. In the other hand, students are willing to choose such a well-liked job to expect a grander prospect, and at the same time make a living.

A consensus of recruiters and students accelerates the situation to become a unalterable pattern, which investment banks do not need to waste their time on screening and students are well-reasoned to work ar the Wall Street without the second choices. They value success by creating more “success”, which relate to the business success, or success in term of wealth. Both are mutually benefited to create advantages over others from the pattern, that can be recognized as a success with the special way to be valued. Success is all people longing to striving for and how they value it may varied. Therefore, different people have different aspirations, as their own meaning of “success” could be differed. In conclusion, the success that is being used in both Davidson’s and Ho’s articles have huge emphasized on the ideas they try to deliver to the readers. For Davidson, he expresses the idea of being “elite” as an individual by acquiring others skills to improve the self-sustainability, which is considered as success. On the flip hand, Ho states the advantages made by an member of Ivy league and use it as a privilege to work at Wall Street

Ivy League colleges are including the greatest regard of all colleges in the United States. These academies stand for the greatest part put in the Northeastern offer of the nation. Eight departments was collected to the Ivy League. These schools are Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown, Yale and Columbia colleges. All of higher education institutions are top schools that considered 40% of the greatest owing and popular graduation. (Best College review, 2019)

However, to date this League comprises eight academies that use a very convenient system of training. They all have a repute, and each school has programs that Excel primarily in medicine and law, making them one of the greatest sought after academies in the world. (Best College review, 2019)

For example, Harvard University it is a template by which all other investigation universities are evaluating. No school in recent history has challenged its position as the world’s leading educational institution. It is the eldest and number one college in the wealthiest country in the world, and Harvard has more than a great deal of wealth. The school has trained 49 Nobel laureates, 32 heads of state and 48 Pulitzer Prize winners. It boasts the world’s largest academic library, leading medical, law and business schools, and a network of alumni worldwide. Harvard not only dominates a wide range of areas, it is also ideally located to work alongside a variety of other schools. About 60-advance educations placed near, like MIT, Boston University and Northeastern University etc. This gives students and faculty unlimited opportunities for collaborative research. (The best schools, 2019)

If you compare it, therefore Kazakh colleges do not included to the top 1000 as academies such as the Kazakh national University called after Al-Farabi and the Kazakh national Medical University teach children to follow a strict system without allowing them to realize themselves. (Infopolus, 2019)

For example, distance learning is personally oriented and cheaper than traditional paid teaching. The student works on a distance-learning course, as it is convenient for him, and as much as it is necessary for him. The learner can go back and check the learning material, learn quickly or slowly — at the ideal place for him. All this provides freedom in choosing the mode of training accordance with apiece characteristic and circumstances. However, this may not stand practical, as well as the University cannot control academic honesty and the result of all students. (KazNMU.kz, 2019)

In addition, a student who studied abroad noted, “Foreign teachers evaluate the work much more strictly. While in Kazakhstan to get excellent grades can anyone who can read and who is not lazy to teach, the student appreciates the ability to think analytically, originally and at the same time be able to defend their point of view”. (Nur.kz, 2015)

Also she say: “The instruction in Kazakhstan is looks like that teacher – the sole knowledgeable person that doesn’t get tired to advertise their textbooks, and generally even makes all of them to buy, because it conducts classes on them. Naturally, in such an atmosphere, the student receives one-sided knowledge, taking on faith not so much the facts as the subjective opinion of the lecturer. In foreign countries, every student can be open. For the most part, everyone has the opportunity to Express even a crazy opinion, which will be perceived positively, whether it is logically justified. The problem or question is investigated by reading dozens of sources and searching ‘for’ and ‘ against’ ”. (Nur.kz, 2015)

All of these weak sides show to us that we must change our education system like in The Ivy League schools. It can give to us new opportunities to realize our citizens be modern, strong and better.

Ivy League schools are the most prestigious educational institutions in the United States of America. Along with offering world-class education in different fields, Ivy Leagues are home to a diverse population of students. From Native Americans to Asians, the demographic of the Ivy League institutions constitute students from every nook and cranny of the world, traveling wide and far to attain education in the world’s best universities and colleges.

Currently, the Ivy League are a community of 8 private member schools namely: Harvard University, The University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Yale University, Princeton University, Brown University, Cornell University and Columbia University.

According to the latest statistics, the current Ivy League population equates to an average of 18,842. The composition of the demographic in these elite institutions comprises students, and staff from a variety of racial, social, and economic backgrounds.

With a firm belief in the dictum of ‘unity in diversity’, the Ivy Leagues every year, welcome students and staff belonging to different ethnicities, and cultures. Starting from African-Americans to Asians to Hispanic/Latino groups, Ivy League schools are flush with a brilliant set of students irrespective of their caste or creed.

Let us take a closer look at the structural makeup of the Ivy League demographics.

Harvard University

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is often deemed as the king of Ivy Leagues by popular culture. With an annual undergraduate population of 6,699, Harvard University is quite ‘picky’ in its selection process. For the academic year of 2023, only 4.5% of the 43,330 applicants were shortlisted for admittance. The student population is broadly categorized based on gender as, 49% female, and 51% male. Additionally, the structural makeup of the demographic includes students from a myriad ethnic, and racial backgrounds, namely, African-American, Latino, Native American, and Asian American. Asian American students occupy approximately 22% of the student population, followed by African Americans at 14%, Latinos, and Hispanics at 12%, and Native Americans at 2%.

University of Pennsylvania

Located in Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania hosts a total number of 24,806 undergraduate students and with an acceptance rate of 8.4%, it qualifies as a top-notch Ivy League university. The percentage of intake for males in the university is 48% while females are at 52%. As we dive into the racial and ethnic structure of the students at the University of Pennsylvania, we witness 7.4% of African American/Black, 20% of Asian-Americans/Pacific Island, 9.8% of Hispanic/Latinos, and white with 41.3%. There is an inclusion of students who self identify themselves as well and account for up to 48% of the student crowd. Out of the entire student population, 50% of them are male, and the rest 50% are women with a total of 11.5 % of students who identify themselves as international students.

Dartmouth College

Situated in the heavenly abode of Hanover, New Hampshire in the United States, Dartmouth College is recognized as a private Ivy League research University. It is a small yet significant institution which talks of an enrollment of about 6,350 undergraduate students with an acceptance rate of 8.7%. Dartmouth has a stringent admission procedure with the percentage of male students being 51% while females consisting of 49% of the student population. The most popular majors that students pursue include Economics, Political Science and Government, and Computer Science. The racial and ethnic composition of the university is formed with 5.55% of African/American students, Asian-American standing at 8.6%, Caucasian students at 50%, a total of 8.6% of Latinos, Native Americans at 1.41%, and multi-racial students account up to a miniature amount of 4.22%.

Yale University

Yale University is positioned in the beautiful blankets of New Haven, Connecticut. Renowned for its unmatched drama and music programs, it’s the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. With a total number of 12,385 undergraduate students and females being at 51% and men at 49% , the acceptance rate of the University is 6.3%. The ethnic and racial construction of the University is diverse. The African-American signify as 5.6% of the population with Asian-American at 13.9%, followed by Hispanic/Latino at 9.4%, Native American at a meager amount of 0.324%, and lastly Whites at the highest occupancy of 44.3%.

Princeton University

Towering the stunning coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey, providing great opportunities and prospects for students to unravel their inner talent. Housing a total of 8,623 students and an acceptance rate of 5.5%, this university has a manifold of ethnic and racial groups of students pursuing their education from this prestigious Ivy League University, 50.8% being female and 49.2% male. The presence of African American students is at a total of 3.58% with Asian Americans counting up to 8.35%. The residents of Caucasians are at the highest with 50% followed by Latinos at 5.85%, multi-racial students at 0.109%, and Native Americans are at a total rate of 16.1% in the University.

Brown University

Located in the picturesque city of Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University was founded in the year 1764 as a part of the Colonial rule of the British in the United States of America. With an annual undergraduate population of 6,320, Brown University has an acceptance rate of 8.6%. The student population is broadly categorized based on gender as, 53% female, and 47% male. Additionally, the structural makeup of the demographic includes students from a myriad ethnic, and racial backgrounds, namely, Hispanic, White, Indigenous Hawaiians, African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, and other multi-racial groups. White students occupy approximately 43% of the student population, followed by Asian-Americans at 15%, Hispanic and Latino groups at 11%, African-Americans, and multi-racial groups at 6%. Additionally, the student population constitutes 11% of international students.

Cornell University

Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York. With an annual undergraduate population of 15,182, Cornell University is an elite private university with huge contributions to research, and development. It was founded in 1865, and currently, it is ranking at number 16 in the US News rankings. Cornell University was not a conception of the British Colonial reign in the nation, unlike its fellow Ivy League members. Establishing an acceptance rate of 15.1%, Cornell University commemorates numerous accolades in the fields of academics, extracurriculars, discipline, and virtue. The student population is broadly categorized based on gender as, 54% female, and 46% male. Additionally, the structural makeup of the demographic includes students from a myriad ethnic, and racial backgrounds, namely, Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, and other multi-racial groups. The ethnicity for a percentage of the school population has not been reported. White students occupy approximately 40.8% of the student population, followed by Asians at 21.6%, Hispanic groups at 15.1%, and African-Americans at 7.7%.

Columbia University

With its inception in 1754, Columbia University has imprinted its name in the sands of time as a prestigious educational institution not only in the U.S but throughout the globe. Situated in New York, Columbia University is ranking at number 3 according to the US News rankings. With an annual undergraduate population of 8,216, Columbia University has an acceptance rate of 6.1%. The student population is broadly categorized based on gender as, 50% female, and 50% male. Additionally, the structural makeup of the demographic includes students from a myriad ethnic, and racial backgrounds, namely, African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, White, and other multi-racial groups. The White students occupy approximately 43.7% of the student population, followed by Asian-Americans at 21%, and Hispanic groups at 16.3%. As many as 1000 international students enrolled at Columbia University.

Louis Menand, the author of the article, Live and Learn: Why we have college (2011), is very informative- about the type of students there is. In this article, Menand’s went into depth about America’s educational system by utilizing the three theories. The first theory is the meritocratic version, and it involves sorting, using test to discover who is the smartest and most intelligent and leaves you with your final grade like your GPA. Theory two explains the democratic method of doing things and learning materials based on the field you want to study. Lastly, the vocational theory explains that college is as scapegoats, where the students can learn what they need to enter an early vacation. Menand’s claim on the dying question was theory two, where he sees that students should go into a field that will financially reward you. In this article, logos, pathos, and ethos will be discussed to see if Menand’s had a logical standpoint if he had established credibility and whether or not it was effective.

Without a doubt, Logos has to be well in the essay because Menand shows logic reason and evidence supporting the theories. Menand indicates that there is a higher demand for education in America, and that speaks to approach one. Taking one test does not confirm whether or not that person is most intelligent. Being open-minded and quick thinkers are some measurements of a smart person, according to Menand.

Which brings us to why there is a higher demand for education, Menand states that in America there is six percent of Americans in college, whereas in other countries like Great Brain and France there is only three percent.

Ethos is a literary device that represents the credibility of the writer or speaker. Menand shows reliability throughout the article, starting with him being a professor at an Ivy League school. Menand taught at Harvard University for nine years, and his principal field of academic interest is 19th and 20th-century American cultural history. Menand is best known for his book “The Metaphysical Club (2001),” which talks about the human history of the 19th and 20th centuries. “He has been a Contributing Editor of The New York Review of Books since 1994” (Pulitzer.1). Menand also published in The New Yorker and has been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1994. Not only was he certified to be a publisher, but he also was honored by Barack Obama for the National Humanities award in 2016. Furthermore, Menand was also awarded the Pulitzer Prize for history, the 2002 Francis Parkman Prize, and The Heartland Prize for Non-Fiction for his book The Metaphysical Club (year) To finish, Menand published a plethora of essays on the prominent figures in American History.

Nevertheless, Menand astounding credulity hence all his awards, led him to demonstrate Pathos. Pathos is the appeal to emotions in ways where the reader can relate and understand that can sway the reader. The feeling built into the essay is a worry. In theory one, “You worry that, with so many Americans going to college, the bachelor’s degrees is losing its meaning.”(Yorker. 6). The emotion built was worrisome because the average theory one person sees that their talent is going to waste because so many people are doing the same thing, which makes them less valuable. For theory two, students fear, and worry was incorporated into the essay because some are worried that the competition in getting into their pristine college is warping their education sense. There is also fear that some can’t pay for their college education, seeing as an Ivy League college is two times more expensive than public college (New Yorker, 7).

On the other hand, Theory one and theory two are perfect for college students preferred for the business side, but what about the non-liberal art students, those students can be more accustomed to theory three. Theory three is where advanced economies demanded set skills for their students, and since college is where you can learn what you need to get your degree and enter an early vacation. Theory three fails to provide a broad intelligence test (theory 1) or an enrichment (theory 2) because those theories are not compatible with today’s jobs. Menands suggest that colleges today are now operating in teaching for today’s career, but they are not doing an excellent job of keeping them.

In essence, Menands theory one explains that “College is, essentially, a four-year intelligence test. Students have to demonstrate intellectual ability over time and across a range of subjects. If they’re sloppy or inflexible or obnoxious—no matter how smart they might be in the I.Q. sense—those negatives will get picked up in their grades.”(New Yorker 2). Meaning that schools are more focused on standardized testing and G.P.A’s. For example, Ivy League schools have a set curriculum and are tested to determine who is the smartest. In which it doesn’t matter if you understand the work, all that matters is the numbers.

“College exposes future citizens to material that enlightens and empowers them, whatever careers they end up choosing(New Yorker 3). In performing this function, college also specializes, for example, it takes people with disparities and struggling backgrounds and brings them into the line of higher education, Menand was never questioned about his teaching until he went from teaching at an Ivy League school to a public school thus making him a theory two believer because of the different backgrounds.

In the final analysis, Menands a theory two-person gives in great detail on how theory one and theory two are applied to the education system, and he also provides a summary about theory three and how there is a theory for all students. Menands was effective in bringing forth this information to his audience because he gave great explanations and had evidence to back up his claims. Menand’s strengths were captivating the audience by bringing in his past and interactions with his students and stating his credibility to us. His weakness was, he could have in better detail explain why he chose to be a theory two-person and explain how he came to be. As a result, Menand’s article was a perfect blend of Logos, Pathos, and Ethos because he gives logic, credibility, and emotion in his work.

What is success? What does it mean when someone uses the word “successful” to describe one’s whole life?

Since people’s views and expectations are varied with each other, different hierarchy of people definitely holds opinions on the definition of success. As a result, everyone has their own interpretation based on the situations of individuals. The methods of obtaining success and its meaning are explored in the articles “Biographies of Hegemony” by Karen Ho and “Project Classroom Makeover” by Cathy Davidson. He describes the success of investment bankers that recruited from the “elite” universities, which are the components of Ivy league, take advantages of the reputation of the “smartness” to create abundant wealth and eventually achieve the meaning of success. Conversely, Davidson conveys the idea of success by discussing the current education system becomes obsolete due to the inefficient teaching methods and practices, and he claims students are supposed to establish certain academic goals in order to obtain success from the aspects of the knowledge of strength, the existence of abilities and diligence.

The unfairness of the educational system and institution creates disparate outcomes from various points of view. But both Davidson and Ho express the meaning of success differently but somehow relate to each other, while all the success are associated with personal superiority and value divergence. The solid foundation of knowledge and spirits establish the path to the final success. On the striving process to success, being perseverant and hardworking are key factors to reach the pinnacle of life. People from different hierarchies keep self-improving to maximize their limited resources and extend their advantages as much as they can to pursuit goals and achieve expectation from others. No matter how intelligent a child is, he still need to receive higher education and professional guides to exploit the talents to the full. Otherwise, all the efforts will be wasted. Davidson talks about how young talents are intentionally designated to the elite universities, as stated that, “What this means for young people who come to an elite private university is that they have taken one of a number of specific routes to get there.

One way is to test to get into the best preschools so you can go to the best private grammar schools so you can be admitted to the most elite boarding schools so you can be competitive at the Ivies or an elite school outside the Ivies like Stanford or Duke” (50). The meaning of success has been vaguely conveyed by Davidson which he mentions the road all the way from insignificance to the greatness is specifically constructed for those young students. The older generation knows exactly how to efficiently achieve success and utilize these methods on their younger generation, which the importance of the education is emphasis by the society. There is no doubt that education plays a vital part in shaping a successful person. It enhances the students’ self-capabilities and adaptaibility to force them to take one step further without the reliance on others. Eventually, they become dominant enough on professional specialties to demonstrate their capabilities.

One of the examples to see whether they are moving closer to success is that whether they get admission from an elite university, which is described as “giving premium value to expertise, specialization, and hierarchy”, and enables their students to develop the superiority over other universities’ students that distinguishes them from the mediocrity. Likewise, Ho also expresses the significance of obtaining a high-quality education. He mentions, “When a Harvard or Princeton education is seen as the normative baseline pedigree it becomes ordinary as well as collective, encompassing, even universal” (184). It is known that colleges like Harvard and Princeton from Ivy League are ranking at the top of the world’s best universities.There are hundred of thousand elite trying to get in these school to show how smart they are or the diligent they become in order to jump in the right track of their years of school. However, the precondition of all beautiful fantasies is to prove you are the most distinct one, equipping with enomerse skills, preeminent foresight and outstanding critical thinking. Besides, examiners evaluate the comprehensive performances mostly by their academic achievement and also extracurricular which need immense interest and passion devoted into it. These help students become fascinated enough to stand out from the crowd and turn it into the reasons why examiners give that special individual the offer but not others. Therefore, the essence of being admissioned by an excellent college is to develop oneself into a better individual.

Personal background has a huge impact on how students show their dominance without any direct contacts and establish the most straightforward signal for others to spot you. Davidson and Ho both discuss the standard of acquiring success and the definitions of their own “success” are similar in term of the capability of building the superiority over others. That’s how their “success” are similar. The value formation influence how individuals view the true meaning behind the success. Some might think holding a high position in a Fortune 500 company is success and creating numerous wealth with no possibilities to be used up in the rest of life is the real meaning of life. Some might consider helping others to achieve their success as his own success. Thus, people’s target and ambition distinct, and it all depends on how individuals value the success. Davison concentrates more on the academical success, as he states, “These key factors for educational success—rigor, relevance, and relationships—have been dubbed the new three Rs … Even on a neurological level, brain researchers have shown that kids improve with directed, special attention to their own skills and interests, the opposite of our move toward standardization” (60).

The aspect of approaching success related to the topics of education is always to satisfy the expectation from the perspective of parents or to prepare for the future from the perspective of the students. Nevertheless, performing well in school does not necessarily means that they know what is the true value of success. It merely shows the importance of following the rules in school or listening to what teacher says. However, the value of success is linked with self-worth for most of the cases. Bringing up the value of oneself, becoming more and more attractive in term of self-values is heavily seen by the meaning of success. Eventually, these goals are primarily targeted by students before their graduates from the college which mostly concerned by their parents. Oppositely, Ho introduces another kinds of success that bases on the mutual benefits. She found out an interesting fact that “not only that most bankers came from a few elite institutions, but also that most undergraduate and even many graduate students assumed that the only suitable destinations for life after Princeton the only sectors offering a truly Princeton-like job were, first, investment banking, and second, management consulting” (169). It sounds pretty unfair for those of students outside the Ivy League to have a chance to go to the company at Wall Street. But those recruiters and students that are being interviewed probably do not agree with that. In the views of the recruiters from the Wall Street, they are looking for the best talents in the world and bring their abilities to their company for further training. In the other hand, students are willing to choose such a well-liked job to expect a grander prospect, and at the same time make a living.

A consensus of recruiters and students accelerates the situation to become a unalterable pattern, which investment banks do not need to waste their time on screening and students are well-reasoned to work ar the Wall Street without the second choices. They value success by creating more “success”, which relate to the business success, or success in term of wealth. Both are mutually benefited to create advantages over others from the pattern, that can be recognized as a success with the special way to be valued. Success is all people longing to striving for and how they value it may varied. Therefore, different people have different aspirations, as their own meaning of “success” could be differed. In conclusion, the success that is being used in both Davidson’s and Ho’s articles have huge emphasized on the ideas they try to deliver to the readers. For Davidson, he expresses the idea of being “elite” as an individual by acquiring others skills to improve the self-sustainability, which is considered as success. On the flip hand, Ho states the advantages made by an member of Ivy league and use it as a privilege to work at Wall Street

Ivy League colleges are including the greatest regard of all colleges in the United States. These academies stand for the greatest part put in the Northeastern offer of the nation. Eight departments was collected to the Ivy League. These schools are Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell, Brown, Yale and Columbia colleges. All of higher education institutions are top schools that considered 40% of the greatest owing and popular graduation. (Best College review, 2019)

However, to date this League comprises eight academies that use a very convenient system of training. They all have a repute, and each school has programs that Excel primarily in medicine and law, making them one of the greatest sought after academies in the world. (Best College review, 2019)

For example, Harvard University it is a template by which all other investigation universities are evaluating. No school in recent history has challenged its position as the world’s leading educational institution. It is the eldest and number one college in the wealthiest country in the world, and Harvard has more than a great deal of wealth. The school has trained 49 Nobel laureates, 32 heads of state and 48 Pulitzer Prize winners. It boasts the world’s largest academic library, leading medical, law and business schools, and a network of alumni worldwide. Harvard not only dominates a wide range of areas, it is also ideally located to work alongside a variety of other schools. About 60-advance educations placed near, like MIT, Boston University and Northeastern University etc. This gives students and faculty unlimited opportunities for collaborative research. (The best schools, 2019)

If you compare it, therefore Kazakh colleges do not included to the top 1000 as academies such as the Kazakh national University called after Al-Farabi and the Kazakh national Medical University teach children to follow a strict system without allowing them to realize themselves. (Infopolus, 2019)

For example, distance learning is personally oriented and cheaper than traditional paid teaching. The student works on a distance-learning course, as it is convenient for him, and as much as it is necessary for him. The learner can go back and check the learning material, learn quickly or slowly — at the ideal place for him. All this provides freedom in choosing the mode of training accordance with apiece characteristic and circumstances. However, this may not stand practical, as well as the University cannot control academic honesty and the result of all students. (KazNMU.kz, 2019)

In addition, a student who studied abroad noted, “Foreign teachers evaluate the work much more strictly. While in Kazakhstan to get excellent grades can anyone who can read and who is not lazy to teach, the student appreciates the ability to think analytically, originally and at the same time be able to defend their point of view”. (Nur.kz, 2015)

Also she say: “The instruction in Kazakhstan is looks like that teacher – the sole knowledgeable person that doesn’t get tired to advertise their textbooks, and generally even makes all of them to buy, because it conducts classes on them. Naturally, in such an atmosphere, the student receives one-sided knowledge, taking on faith not so much the facts as the subjective opinion of the lecturer. In foreign countries, every student can be open. For the most part, everyone has the opportunity to Express even a crazy opinion, which will be perceived positively, whether it is logically justified. The problem or question is investigated by reading dozens of sources and searching ‘for’ and ‘ against’ ”. (Nur.kz, 2015)

All of these weak sides show to us that we must change our education system like in The Ivy League schools. It can give to us new opportunities to realize our citizens be modern, strong and better.

Ivy League schools are the most prestigious educational institutions in the United States of America. Along with offering world-class education in different fields, Ivy Leagues are home to a diverse population of students. From Native Americans to Asians, the demographic of the Ivy League institutions constitute students from every nook and cranny of the world, traveling wide and far to attain education in the world’s best universities and colleges.

Currently, the Ivy League are a community of 8 private member schools namely: Harvard University, The University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Yale University, Princeton University, Brown University, Cornell University and Columbia University.

According to the latest statistics, the current Ivy League population equates to an average of 18,842. The composition of the demographic in these elite institutions comprises students, and staff from a variety of racial, social, and economic backgrounds.

With a firm belief in the dictum of ‘unity in diversity’, the Ivy Leagues every year, welcome students and staff belonging to different ethnicities, and cultures. Starting from African-Americans to Asians to Hispanic/Latino groups, Ivy League schools are flush with a brilliant set of students irrespective of their caste or creed.

Let us take a closer look at the structural makeup of the Ivy League demographics.

Harvard University

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is often deemed as the king of Ivy Leagues by popular culture. With an annual undergraduate population of 6,699, Harvard University is quite ‘picky’ in its selection process. For the academic year of 2023, only 4.5% of the 43,330 applicants were shortlisted for admittance. The student population is broadly categorized based on gender as, 49% female, and 51% male. Additionally, the structural makeup of the demographic includes students from a myriad ethnic, and racial backgrounds, namely, African-American, Latino, Native American, and Asian American. Asian American students occupy approximately 22% of the student population, followed by African Americans at 14%, Latinos, and Hispanics at 12%, and Native Americans at 2%.

University of Pennsylvania

Located in Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania hosts a total number of 24,806 undergraduate students and with an acceptance rate of 8.4%, it qualifies as a top-notch Ivy League university. The percentage of intake for males in the university is 48% while females are at 52%. As we dive into the racial and ethnic structure of the students at the University of Pennsylvania, we witness 7.4% of African American/Black, 20% of Asian-Americans/Pacific Island, 9.8% of Hispanic/Latinos, and white with 41.3%. There is an inclusion of students who self identify themselves as well and account for up to 48% of the student crowd. Out of the entire student population, 50% of them are male, and the rest 50% are women with a total of 11.5 % of students who identify themselves as international students.

Dartmouth College

Situated in the heavenly abode of Hanover, New Hampshire in the United States, Dartmouth College is recognized as a private Ivy League research University. It is a small yet significant institution which talks of an enrollment of about 6,350 undergraduate students with an acceptance rate of 8.7%. Dartmouth has a stringent admission procedure with the percentage of male students being 51% while females consisting of 49% of the student population. The most popular majors that students pursue include Economics, Political Science and Government, and Computer Science. The racial and ethnic composition of the university is formed with 5.55% of African/American students, Asian-American standing at 8.6%, Caucasian students at 50%, a total of 8.6% of Latinos, Native Americans at 1.41%, and multi-racial students account up to a miniature amount of 4.22%.

Yale University

Yale University is positioned in the beautiful blankets of New Haven, Connecticut. Renowned for its unmatched drama and music programs, it’s the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. With a total number of 12,385 undergraduate students and females being at 51% and men at 49% , the acceptance rate of the University is 6.3%. The ethnic and racial construction of the University is diverse. The African-American signify as 5.6% of the population with Asian-American at 13.9%, followed by Hispanic/Latino at 9.4%, Native American at a meager amount of 0.324%, and lastly Whites at the highest occupancy of 44.3%.

Princeton University

Towering the stunning coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey, providing great opportunities and prospects for students to unravel their inner talent. Housing a total of 8,623 students and an acceptance rate of 5.5%, this university has a manifold of ethnic and racial groups of students pursuing their education from this prestigious Ivy League University, 50.8% being female and 49.2% male. The presence of African American students is at a total of 3.58% with Asian Americans counting up to 8.35%. The residents of Caucasians are at the highest with 50% followed by Latinos at 5.85%, multi-racial students at 0.109%, and Native Americans are at a total rate of 16.1% in the University.

Brown University

Located in the picturesque city of Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University was founded in the year 1764 as a part of the Colonial rule of the British in the United States of America. With an annual undergraduate population of 6,320, Brown University has an acceptance rate of 8.6%. The student population is broadly categorized based on gender as, 53% female, and 47% male. Additionally, the structural makeup of the demographic includes students from a myriad ethnic, and racial backgrounds, namely, Hispanic, White, Indigenous Hawaiians, African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, and other multi-racial groups. White students occupy approximately 43% of the student population, followed by Asian-Americans at 15%, Hispanic and Latino groups at 11%, African-Americans, and multi-racial groups at 6%. Additionally, the student population constitutes 11% of international students.

Cornell University

Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York. With an annual undergraduate population of 15,182, Cornell University is an elite private university with huge contributions to research, and development. It was founded in 1865, and currently, it is ranking at number 16 in the US News rankings. Cornell University was not a conception of the British Colonial reign in the nation, unlike its fellow Ivy League members. Establishing an acceptance rate of 15.1%, Cornell University commemorates numerous accolades in the fields of academics, extracurriculars, discipline, and virtue. The student population is broadly categorized based on gender as, 54% female, and 46% male. Additionally, the structural makeup of the demographic includes students from a myriad ethnic, and racial backgrounds, namely, Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, and other multi-racial groups. The ethnicity for a percentage of the school population has not been reported. White students occupy approximately 40.8% of the student population, followed by Asians at 21.6%, Hispanic groups at 15.1%, and African-Americans at 7.7%.

Columbia University

With its inception in 1754, Columbia University has imprinted its name in the sands of time as a prestigious educational institution not only in the U.S but throughout the globe. Situated in New York, Columbia University is ranking at number 3 according to the US News rankings. With an annual undergraduate population of 8,216, Columbia University has an acceptance rate of 6.1%. The student population is broadly categorized based on gender as, 50% female, and 50% male. Additionally, the structural makeup of the demographic includes students from a myriad ethnic, and racial backgrounds, namely, African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, White, and other multi-racial groups. The White students occupy approximately 43.7% of the student population, followed by Asian-Americans at 21%, and Hispanic groups at 16.3%. As many as 1000 international students enrolled at Columbia University.