Dark Secrets Of The Ivy League

1. The truth about Ivy League schools

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You've probably seen or heard stuff about Ivy League schools, whether from real life or in films and television. They're known for being super selective and prestigious, thus they also always carry a sense of mystery. Not everyone can get into an elite school, and these schools hold a lot of secrets! So let's spill the proverbial tea...

2. Cheating is pretty common

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You might be surprised to learn that cheating at Ivy League schools is really common. Students say the easiest way is to form a "study group" that splits up the problems or homework and complete their portions. A lot of frats and sororities also have access to other students who've already taken the class and will just pass along the solutions.

3. The admission process is messed up

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While Ivy League schools claim that their admission process is open to ANYONE, it's simply not true. The actual application is hard, but there are also university agendas. Each school wants to have a certain percentage of legacy students, usually around 30%. Then, of course, there's the athletes, the diversity quota, and international spots. There's very few people who don't fall into these categories that get a spot!

4. There's often problematic histories

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Students say that a lot of these Ivy Leagues are steeped in systemic racism. It could be things like keeping up statues or plaques or building names that are honoring former slave owners, in the name of history, of course. Students have expressed to have these items renamed or taken down, but it seldom is acknowledged.

5. Money is THE driving factor

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Many students have reported that it's very clear where the universities' loyalty lies, and that is with the money. If you're a poorer student, Ivy League is going to be very hard for you because the system isn't set up for you to work and go to school at the same time. Students who are paying tuition in cash get more opportunities, because they have more time to network. They really perpetuate helping the rich, privileged, and white.

6. There's something called The Gentleman's C

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We love a system that perpetuates the misogyny! One student reported that many Ivy Leagues have something called "The Gentleman's C." This basically means that as long as you have your butt in a seat during class, you are guaranteed at least a C in that class. Must be nice.

7. It's not always worth the money

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You'd think that paying a bunch of money for an Ivy League degree would mean a better job. Not the case. Most students have said that no one really cares where your degree is from. It really comes down to your achievements, work ethic and experience. You can go to a cheaper school for the same outcome.

8. People take Adderall like Tic-Tacs

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Students say that it's way less common to find someone who doesn't take Adderall. It's so common, and students will trade for it when they're in need. And it's not just used for one off exams or big end-of-term papers, these kids are popping pills every day of the week just to make it through life!

9. Common sense seems to be lacking

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While some students at Ivy Leagues are extremely brilliant, others are, not so much. We talk about this more later, but one student said there was a guy in his class who truly could not understand that there is a difference between a dress and a skirt, even with a lengthy explanation and photos.

10. Some programs are better than others

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Did you know that all of the different "colleges" within the university are funded separately? For example, they may have a well-funded and amazing Law program, while their Medical or Literature program might be severely lacking. So you might think you're in the best grad program in the country, but then find out that the resources are not there.

11. Sexual assault is often ignored

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Again, because money and reputation are the main things these schools care about, most of the Ivy Leagues have very little punishment for anyone accused of rape or sexual assault. In fact, a common thing is that the punishment for cheating or plagiarism is harsher than that for sexual assault. These crimes are usually investigated through the school itself rather than the police. So it simply disappears.

12. Legacy student privilege is a real thing

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Legacy students are kids where their parents are alumni, especially when it comes to frats and sororities. These students tend to get treated better, in regards to everything from better housing to more priority when it comes to other college preferences. One student said the legacy kids got the only dorms with air conditioning and new furniture.

13. It's also common to go to school with famous people

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Students say it's so common, you kind of forget that it's happening. Maybe you have English with a celebrity or you have Econ with a famous person's kid or a politician's kid. Most of the students say you kind of forget, because you're focused on school and getting food. It doesn't really dawn on you until other people ask about it.

14. There are naked parties

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Several Ivy League schools have said that they have "naked parties." These parties are non-sexual, but everyone would be naked and hanging out together. These parties are invite only and the location of the party is always kept private. It's said they were actually pretty chill and didn't make people feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

15. Class segregation is a thing

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We're not talking about class subjects; we're talking economic classes. The wealthy and connected stick together and get treated in a certain way. They're likely to be invited to more parties and tend to vacation together as well. Whereas the lower class students also stick together and usually become the social outcasts.

16. There are often secret societies

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Many Ivy Leagues have secret societies made up of select individuals who vow to keep the collective a secret. It's often really hard to get a membership, and the rituals and traditions are kept quiet. However, it's reported that most take part in hazing rituals and conspiracies. Some are less ominous and focus on philanthropic acts. Would you join one?

17. Sometimes there's a Fun Czar

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On-campus social life at Ivy Leagues can be a little more dull than you'd expect. In fact, at some schools, there's a Fun Czar. This person is meant to encourage more parties and social events on campus. In fact, there are even grants you can apply for to give you party funds. The only catch is that if you get the grant, it has to be open to everyone on campus.

18. It's actually really hard to study

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Because of the culture of overachieving and never sleeping, there becomes a facade of making it seem like everything is fine when you're actually miserable on the inside. Even if school came easy to you back home, that won't be the case here. Many students hire essay writers or other such people to help with their school work.

19. There are two types of people

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Most people say, when it comes right down to it, there are really only two types of people at these schools. The people who can afford to be there and bought their way in, and the people who deserve to be there who struggle through the entire process. It's disappointing that the system is set up better to support the kids!

20. The quality of education is not guaranteed

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This is kinda wild, especially for the amount of money students are funneling in. There's no set process to check on the educational protocols at these schools. They only care about the results being reported. Because these schools focus on research, they have the best researchers in their fields, but not necessarily the best professors.

21. They look at other schools with disdain

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Maybe this isn't surprising, but many students said that the way the rich kids and their families view other colleges is kind of gross. In fact, one student said that at a football game, he watched kids and adults alike jingle their keys at a team from Iowa saying "You'll be our chauffeurs one day." Non-wealthy kids who attend Ivy schools say it's extremely embarrassing and demoralizing.

22. The partying is UNMATCHED

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Rumor has it that no one parties harder than Ivy League school kids. There have been reports of extremely heavy drinking and lots of hard drugs. Due to the wealth and connection of a lot of these students, everything is accessible to them. They will party any day of the week and other students say that most of the kids have zero boundaries with what they're willing to try!

23. Burnout is true, but maybe it's worth it?

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Several students have had the opposite experience of what we mentioned before. Just having the name of an Ivy League school on your degree is a game-changer. They said that yes, it's easy to get burnt out, but it does help get a job down the line. Others have said this is only true if you're one of the elite (rich, privileged, and white).

24. Most of the middle class kids are on scholarships

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Yes, these schools are full of legacy kids and rich kids, but there's also a population of middle-class kids, most of whom are there on scholarships. It's hard to attend these schools and work a job, but it does open up the opportunity to get a good education at a prestigious school!

25. There are some weird traditions

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Maybe one of the reasons for all the secrecy is the weird traditions that get passed down through the years. One student said that their school had weird traditions involving nudity. For example, swimming naked across the river and then running back across the bridge... still naked. Another said that there was a challenge to have sex in different parts of campus.

26. A lot of people have food insecurity

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Students have said that many of their peers struggle with food insecurity. The students who don't come from wealth often have to steal food just to get by. It's sad that there's such a disparity between the wealthy kids with access to everything, and the worse-off kids who thought this opportunity would change their lives for the better.

27. A student's well-being is not the priority

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We've all seen the shows and movies showing the pressure of Ivy League schools, the culture of overachieving, and privileged kids getting away with heinous things. Because of this, students at elite schools tend to have the highest percentage of mental health issues amongst students. MIT and Harvard have the highest suicide rates in the country.

28. Imposter syndrome runs rampant

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Because of the extreme competitiveness and the lack of mental health awareness, it's said that many students get so caught up in the grind of it all. This can lead to imposter syndrome and low self-esteem with no support system. Many students have also said there ends up being an unhealthy co-dependency on your inner circle.

29. Depression is also super common

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Students say that pretty much everyone at an Ivy League school goes through a whirlpool of depression during their time there. This plays off the lack of mental health practices and imposter syndrome, but when you think about the fact that these are literally 18-year-old kids, it makes it even sadder! It's said that staff essentially tells students to buck up and handle it.

30. Just because they're there, doesn't mean they're smart

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Several students have reported that the most surprising thing about attending Ivy League is the fact that a lot of the people in the program are NOT smart. You'd think the school would be full of academic types and people who love to learn. But the truth is, most students say the kids here lack any sort of motivation to learn or book smarts and expect their parents to buy them grades.