During the second semester of my sophomore year, my district distributed a newsletter featuring the valedictorians and salutatorians from each high school. I was intrigued by how people highly praised the three graduates who were accepted into Harvard University. Local news outlets also covered the story of these three people's decision to attend Harvard. I understand. They are three people from the same class in the same district who got into an exceptionally reputable and highly selective Ivy League college. My peers around me always saw Ivy League schools as a godsend if they could even have a chance to be admitted or recognized by them. Known for their prestige, academic resources, and connections, an Ivy League education can be very valuable to many people. However, you can get quality benefits elsewhere for a fraction of the cost. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Most people believe that those who attend these eminent schools usually have more opportunities than others: strong alumni networks, research and study of materials written by the brightest intellectuals themselves, and an advantage in extremely competitive fields . I mean, it's true. These universities have graduating classes dating back to the 1700s. Their alumni network power has great impact and is essential to students' lives and futures. Attending an Ivy League can provide you with the resources and connections you need to break into world-class companies. Simply having a diploma from an Ivy League school could open doors to better job opportunities, including the ability to secure an above-average salary in the future. I am able to gain more recognition and prejudice due to attending one of the most infamous schools ever known. When I talked to some former students and upperclassmen friends about why they pined so much for the Ivy League, their responses sounded like they just wanted to look up the name. For glory. To be able to boast that they managed to surpass everyone else and be chosen to attend an important school. I mean, it's not wrong to brag. Anyone would be happy to catch the attention of a top-notch university. It fuels their pride, making them more confident and more motivated to work even harder. However, I wish my colleagues could realize that those honored traits of these conspicuous schools could be found in other colleges. For example, there are small liberal arts colleges, state universities, and private schools with sustainable financial aid programs and academic excellence that are on par with the Ivy League. Rice University, The University of Texas at Austin, and Texas A&M are some of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the state of Texas. People are always looking for the best of the best, but they don't realize that the best deals can be right under their noses all this time. I had a friend in the graduating class of 2019 who worked painstakingly hard to apply to some of the top schools, Harvard and Yale. Almost every day he talked about his interviews with colleges and how he wants to be accepted into a high-profile university. He would always berate me, telling me that I shouldn't go to a middle or “low quality” school (like the University of Houston) and that I should opt for notable schools instead. Ultimately, he attended the University of Houston-Honors College because of the lower costs and,.