The Blubber

In the realm of elite college admissions, the recent Supreme Court ruling on the affirmative action admission policies of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina is widely expected to have an immediate impact on admission decisions and their rationales. This effect could potentially extend to significant consequences in terms of career trajectories and potential earnings.

A study conducted by Opportunity Insights, a nonpartisan and nonprofit research group based at Harvard University, delved into the anticipated future income of students who were waitlisted and later admitted to Ivy League schools, as compared to those who opted for public universities.

The research, carried out by economists from Harvard and Brown University, concluded that attending an Ivy League institution had a "statistically insignificant impact" on future earnings.

However, it's important to note that attending these prestigious institutions does offer other notable advantages beyond just income.

For example, choosing to attend a college in the "Ivy-plus" category, which typically includes renowned schools like Stanford University, Duke University, the University of Chicago, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), almost doubles the likelihood of attending an elite graduate school and triples the chances of securing employment at a prestigious firm.

While the financial impact might not be as significant as anticipated, the prestige and connections affiliated with Ivy League and Ivy-plus institutions continue to hold substantial weight in terms of advancing one's educational and professional prospects.