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When
you hear the phrase "Ivy League," what do you think of?
Myths
and misconceptions plague the eight schools of the Ivy League and their
students. Many people equate schools like Yale with the concepts of arrogance,
wealth, and elitism. Students at Columbia forsake the social scenes of
other schools to devote their time to studying. The way to guarantee admission
to Dartmouth is to have a parent who attendedpreferably a parent
who knows the president and is willing to finance a new library. It is
a rare person who can name all eight Ivies, but it is a rarer person who
does not have notions about them.
The eight schools
of the Ivy LeagueBrown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn,
Princeton, and Yaleare among the most selective and academically
rigorous institutions in the world. Each Ivy has its own history and personality,
and each attracts brilliant and accomplished students from around the
world. These students flock to idyllic campuses in the northeast to learn,
live, and party with their peers.
In the 2004-2005 academic
year, Sean-Michael Green is conducting research
for a new book, tentatively titled, What I Learned in College: A Year
in the Ivy League. He is spending approximately 30 days at each Ivy,
sitting in on classes, speaking with students, and participating in activities.
He joined the freshmen as they arrived on Cornell's campus in August,
and he will be at graduation at Princeton in May. Along the way, he will
maintain a travelogue of his adventures.
Sean-Michael's goal
is to spend time with studentsin class, at home, and across campusso
that he can accurately write about the people who make up the Ivy League.
What
the book is:
Funny! It is a narrative nonfiction account of Sean-Michael's travels
and encounters throughout the year. The work will be funny, smart, and
factually accurate. The book is intended for alumni, students, and anyone
who wants to see what life is like at these institutions.
What
the book is not:
The book is not an exposé, nor is it seeking scandal. The administration
is aware ofand, in some cases, receptive tothe project. The
privacy of students will be protected, with names and other identifying
information changed. The book is not a how-to book or college guide.
The
Research Schedule:
Cornell
University
August 24 - September 20
Brown
University
September 20 - October 20
Dartmouth
College
October 20 - November 15
Yale
University
November 15 - December 19
University
of Pennsylvania
January 17 - February 17
Columbia
University
February 25 - March 20
Harvard
University
March 20 - April 20
Princeton
University
April 20 - May 31
For
Ivy League Students:
I need your help! The new book is about Ivy League students, and without
the input of those students, the book will not exist. At each school,
I want to shadow as many different students as possible. I want to go
to classes, participate in activities, and live in student areas. I am
friendly, professional, and very interested in student life. I will work
hard to make the experience painless and interesting for everybody involved.
If you are a student
at an institution that I am planning to visit, and if you would like to
discuss the project, please write to IvyLeague@SeanMichaelGreen.com.
Travelogue
Many
of the people with whom I have talked since I started this project have
expressed great curiosity about my adventures at other schools. The students
at Dartmouth want to know what I think of Brown; people at Cornell want
to hear what happens when I am at Harvard.
Thus, I am keeping
a travelogue. I will try to update this travelogue weekly, so that students
can keep track of my project, and my friends and family can find my body
if I disappear.
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