It is a recurring theme on social media of students posting which colleges they have been accepted to. With the videos ranking up millions of views, we've all seen them. Acceptance to college or attending college is not necessarily a unique experience but the part that is so intriguing about these videos is not the going to college bit, it is which colleges.

Harvard.

Princeton.

Columbia.

Cornell.

The Ivy Leagues. The colleges we all dream of attending and if we don't someone does it for us. And as the school year ends, it can become hard to escape the grip their status has on us.

The truth is that the supposed status, the supposed glamour, and prestige don't matter. Your school does not define you.

The Admissions Process

According to this US News Weekly article, the top things colleges look for in students are the difficulty of classes (e.g. AP classes) and the overall grade they bring you. Extracurricular activities are always a plus.

Of course, taking five AP classes, multiple extracurriculars, possibly having a job, and excelling in it all can be overwhelming at the least. Impossible at most. Should it and more be expected from high school seniors? Or the better question is: Do those things matter as much as we want them to?

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When the College Admissions scandal in 2019 occurred, it became a scandal not only because of the people involved but also because these universities were held on a pedestal. They were expected and trusted to make decisions based on a person's academic and personal success, not the success their wallets had to offer. The scandal was disheartening; confirming what many had already guessed: the admissions system is flawed.

This is not to say that admissions is impossible or should not be tried but that it is important to remember that it is not perfect and will not determine the outcome of your future. It is only one cog in our lives and a faulty one at that.

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The Other One

It can be hard to stop once we’ve begun comparing ourselves to others. Our vision of success alters and goes from being determined by our standards to society’s standards for us. It can be easy to forget that success is not limited to one path.

It is not just the Ivy Leagues. Or this one career and its conventional path to it. Success can come from those things but there is more to it. As a student, it is important to remember the validity of what society sometimes deems as the other ones.

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This is about the paths outside of Ivy Leagues such as public & private universities, community colleges, technical schools, etc. Paths that may bring an occasional “Oh, that’s nice” and a judgemental hum to the annual family Thanksgiving dinner table.

According to this 2016 report by the Pew Research Center, there is an almost ten percent gap in people who believe that a four-year degree prepares you for a career after college compared to those who believe you only need a two-year degree.

While this showcases society’s mindset it doesn’t necessarily showcase the data. Take into account the stories of the well-known: Jill Biden who is currently the first lady and a community college professor, Alex Aster who is an author popular on social media for her book series Lightlark, and Jose Hernandez who became the first former migrant worker who went to space as an astronaut. None of the people in this group attended an Ivy League and they have brought themselves success.

However, I would say that success isn’t only found in the well-known. It is easy to spot it in the places and people around you. From the shop owner selling trinkets at the corner of the street to the teacher lecturing in front of you from Monday to Friday.

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What Defines Me, If Not For You?

I've always believed that success is a personal matter for your judgement only not that of society's. It is more about setting and meeting your standards rather than those built for someone else. You know yourself best and it is important to trust that.

Ivy League universities become Ivy League universities because of the standards set by others. They may be well established for Subject A but not for Subject B and if Subject B is what you are going for then why attend? The same logic can be applied to community colleges or trade schools.

If one knows their clear ambitions, there is no need for them to attend a four-year university. Ivy Leagues are an option for success but not a guarantee. What defines you then, if not for the standards surrounding you? That is a question that no one is qualified for, least of all me, least of all the society surrounding you and me. It is only ourselves that can both answer the question and provide judgment.