Columbia Student: I Thought an Ivy League Degree Would Get Me a Job

I cried tears of joy when I was admitted to Columbia Journalism School, but I hesitated to put it on my résumé after I received my degree.

While at my Ivy League school, I believed that big-name companies would fight to hire me, simply because of my degree. But in the real world, each rejection confused me. I expected to land every job I applied for.

That’s when I realized that my Ivy League education didn’t properly prepare me for the real world.

I didn’t learn what I needed to know outside the classroom

I was studying journalism as a graduate student and thought Columbia would be the perfect place to learn about the field. But I quickly realized that the program barely taught the much-needed digital skills that I was eager to learn.

In the changing media landscape, I found that it’s best to be a multimedia journalist who can tell stories in any form of media — print, audio, and video.

But when I was studying at Columbia for nine months, I was forced to pick one focus. I chose the print track and was left completely ignorant of the others, making it difficult to land a job that expected more of me.

Since my time at the school, they’ve allowed students to choose more than one media format for their master’s.

I struggled to live up to the expectations of an Ivy League graduate

In a culture that values prestigious universities, many families glorify their first Ivy League graduate, so I quickly became an idol in my family. My parents posted photos of my graduation on social media and received hundreds of likes and comments. My grandparents proudly told everyone they knew that their grandchild went to Columbia.

I was showered with dinner invitations from my mom’s colleagues, who hoped their children would join the Ivy League club and wanted me to share my experience to inspire them. I felt blessed that my years of hard work had brought pride to my family and admiration from others.

As a result, any rejection from a potential employer hurt me more than it should have. I felt like a failed Ivy League student.

A growth mindset helped me in the real world

Once I realized I needed to gain new skills, I looked elsewhere. Lifelong learning has become a core part of my identity. To keep my skills sharp, I constantly read trade publications, audit classes, attend training sessions organized by professional associations, and watch tutorials on popular news production tools.

After growing my skillset, I’ve received job offers from both local and national news organizations and helped them grow their readership by analyzing data, tweaking headlines, and creating interesting social media posts.

I have realized that adopting a growth mindset and constantly reinventing myself matter a lot more to real-world success than a prestigious university does. Learning doesn’t stop after an Ivy League degree. For me, it had only just begun.

Editor’s Note: Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism’s communication manager said, “We’re proud to offer a curriculum that helps Columbia journalists build a wide range of skills. Students can choose from a broad selection of courses and hands-on workshops — including multimedia, video production, and data journalism — alongside year-round events and professional development opportunities.”

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