The University of California (UCLA) is famous for its academic excellence and state-of-the-art facilities. This renowned learning institution has consistently been among the best universities in the US for decades. It has one of the highest annual applications among all the US schools.
The Ivy League is a collection of top private schools that came together for sporting purposes. Over time, the name “Ivy League” has become synonymous with some of the best academically sound schools in the US. Now you’re probably wondering; is UCLA Ivy League?
This article will educate you on everything you need to know about the relationship between UCLA and Ivy League. You’ll get to know whether the renowned institution is part of the Ivy League or not, as well as other related topics.
What Is the Ivy League?
The Ivy League is a collection of top schools that merged in 1954 to form an elite collegiate athletic conference in the United States of America. These schools are private, play at the top of the NCAA, and strive for the highest academic and sporting success.
They’re among the top-performing educational institutions in the USA and even on the global scene. Therefore, the name “Ivy League” symbolizes pride and distinction among America’s tertiary institutions.
The Ivy League has universities like Havard, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton University in its rank. All these institutions and others that complete the association have tremendous individual academic reputations and traditions.
Therefore, these schools aren’t exceptional because they’re part of the Ivy League; they’re part of the Ivy League because they’re top-class. Students who want to enter them must work harder than when they’re getting into regular Universities.
Since admission into these schools is competitive, it also means that they tend to have higher-performing students than most other institutions. This statement explains why they’re always top in academics and sports.
Over 150,000 students study at these universities combined, with graduate students taking a huge bunch. Around 60% of the students that attend Ivy League schools are graduates, and schools like Havard and Columbia university have more graduates than undergraduate students.
What Are the 8 Ivy League Schools?
The Ivy League comprises eight private Universities, which are;
- Harvard, Princeton
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- Brown University
- Dartmouth College
- The University of Pennsylvania
- Cornell University
- Princeton University
What is the tuition at Ivy League Schools Like?
Ivy League schools are among the most expensive to attend in the US. Their tuition fees range from $40,000 to $60,000, with most of them surpassing the $50,000 mark. When you factor in accommodation and other expenses, you’ll need to spend an average of $80,000 annually to attend these schools.
These fees can be lower in some schools for in-state students. However, you’ll need to pay for the whole thing if you’re an out-of-state student. The University of Pennsylvania and the Havard are the costliest to attend, while Princeton and Columbia Universities are the cheapest.
How Good Are Ivy League Schools in Sports?
As much as these schools’ academic prowess is impressive, they’re still the boss at what brought them together; athletics. They’ve won more academic conferences than any other collegiate conference in history.
The collegiate oversees 34 sports and more than 8,000 student-athletes, the most among all collegiate conferences in the US. It’s fair to say that the Ivy League is a master of all trades.
What is UCLA?
It’s imperative to understand the University of California’s caliber before knowing whether or not it’s an Ivy League school. The University of California is a public university in Southern California, founded in 1882, and has its campus in Los Angeles.
The school has many programs across the Humanities, Life Sciences, Social Sciences, and Physical Sciences faculties. It’s one of the best institutions for Arts and Medicine.
It has 31,600 undergraduate students, 14,300 graduates and professional students, and 8,000 faculty members. The school is pretty diverse and boasts nearly 5,500 international students. These international students come from 120 countries globally.
Many top boards rank UCLA as one of the best schools in the country, and US News ranks it among the top 20. Times Higher Education has also consistently ranked the institution as one of the best in the country.
The school’s ex-students are renowned individuals who’ve contributed significantly to global development. It boasts 27 Nobel Prize winners and five Turing Award Winners. Kareem Abdul Jabar and John Williams are popular ex-students from the school.
Is UCLA Ivy League?
UCLA isn’t Ivy League, but its similarities with Ivy League schools are reasons many people think it’s one. It has similar educational achievements to Ivy League schools. Getting admission into it is competitive, making the admission rate low.
For instance, the school saw nearly 170,000 applications in 2021, the highest of any university in the US. Its students also graduate to work in the top establishments in the world. UCLA has a 93% graduation rate, and the Ivy League has around 95%.
Its sporting achievements are also on par with the Ivy League schools. UCLA has won over 120 NCAA I team titles, and only Stanford University has more. Among the Ivy League schools, only the University of Pennsylvania comes close with a distant 52.
Due to all these similarities and achievements, many people tend to confuse UCLA as an Ivy League school. Aside from UCLA, many other renowned institutions people confuse with Ivy League exist, with Stanford and MIT being common victims. Not only is UCLA not Ivy League, but its chances of becoming part of the association are slim.
What Are the Public Ivies?
While UCLA might not be part of the Ivy League, it has its Ivy classification. It all began in 1997 when Richard Moll (Yale University Admissions Officer) released a book titled “Public Ivies: A Guide to America’s Best Public Undergraduate College and Universities.”
The book was all about 15 public universities he thinks offer similar educational qualities to schools in the Ivy League. Some of the schools Richard Moll included in his book include UCLA, William and Mary, the University of Virginia, and the University of Michigan.
Since then, all these schools have been referred to as the Public Ivies. However, there are many differences between the Ivy League and the Public Ivies. Of course, the most evident is that the institutions in Public Ivies are public schools while those in the Ivy League are private.
Also, “Public Ivies” is an informal phrase and not as official as the Ivy League. Many others have added and removed schools from the Public Ivies to suit themselves. One thing is sure, all the schools in the Ivy League and Public Ivies are among America’s finest.
How to Get Admitted To UCLA?
As mentioned earlier in the article, tons of students attempt to get into UCLA annually despite it not being an Ivy League institution. While some of them get admitted, almost 90% don’t.
As hard as it may look, becoming a student of this institution isn’t rocket science. You only need to understand the requirements and try to beat them by a large margin. Before you attempt admission, understand that only the best get to enter the school.
To explain in numerical terms, the university mentioned on its website that you’d need an average GPA of 3.0 to get admission. You’ll need a GPA of at least 3.9 percent to stand a chance. By scoring considerably higher than recommended, you would give the university little or no choice but to give you admission.
The university doesn’t use SAT/ACT scores to grade admissions anymore, but you can submit it for the institution to use for other purposes.
There’s basically all that there is to getting admitted into UCLA. The other essential aspect is recognizing the vital documents and submitting them appropriately. Don’t forget to follow up on the admissions to avoid missing updates.
Which Should You Attend Between UCLA and Ivy Schools?
Whether you should attend UCLA or Ivy League schools is a personal preference. It’s imperative to note that whichever of these schools you choose to go to, you’ll get almost similar experiences because they’re all top institutions. However, there are still some schools that are more exceptional than others.
US News ranks Princeton University as the best school in the US currently. Its top-notch teaching programs and state-of-the-art facilities are key reasons it’s top of the list. Harvard and Yale follow closely at number 3, and the University of Pennsylvania sits at 7.
Dartmouth is the next Ivy League in raking at 12. and Brown university is 13. Cornell University sits at 17, and Columbia University is the least-ranked among the Ivy League schools at 18 in the national rankings. UCLA sits at number 20 on the rating.
Currently, all Ivy League universities are ranked higher than UCLA. However, it’s still among the top 20 schools in the US, which is massive. If you’d prefer a school with rich sports culture, UCLA is better than all the individual Ivy League schools.
Don’t forget to factor in tuition fees and other expenses for any institution you want to attend. As mentioned earlier in the article, these universities are among the ones that charge the highest tuition fees in the US.
Conclusion
UCLA isn’t Ivy League, but it’s a reputable institution nonetheless. It’s all about understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the school to help you make a good choice. As mentioned earlier, none of these schools are a poor choice, but some are better than others.
It’s imperative to note that aside from the Ivy League and Public Ivies, there are other lesser classifications known as the “Little Ivies” and “Hidden Ivies.” As you might’ve guessed, people use them to refer to universities and colleges considered good but not at the Ivy League or Public Ivies levels.
Sam is a brilliant young Nigerian biochemistry student and an aspiring entrepreneur. Despite facing many challenges, he has never lost his passion for learning and drive to make a difference in the world. Read more about him here.