Most elite institutions are adorned with ancient architecture. Collegiate Gothic style gives a sense that these institutions have stood the test of time. Many people have it. Harvard, Yale and Columbia outlast colonization and have been around since before dinosaur bones were discovered. They lived through the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the Civil War. This unfettered elasticity is why admissions experts say the value of elite colleges won’t depreciate anytime soon, despite concerns that artificial intelligence will reduce the quality of college degrees, as Goldman Sachs has warned.safety premium“.
Adam NguyenCEO and founder of Ivy Link, helping students prepare for college as early as fifth grade. The company charges from $100,000 to $750,000 per client — an amount Nguyen said is “not even a rounding error” for many of these families.
Nguyen, a former Harvard and Columbia admissions insider and Harvard Law School graduate, helps families create transcripts in their children’s first few years of college, offering advice on everything from which extracurricular activities to participate in to which top high schools to attend. He dismissed current concerns that college degrees will lose value in the age of artificial intelligence.
“These families, they’re not paying attention to the trends or what’s going on in the current news cycle or even the campus protests,” Nguyen told wealth. “They look at time horizons of decades or even centuries.”
Who the world’s elite turn to for Ivy League admissions help
Nguyen describes his clients as “the global elite,” including leaders in venture capital and wealth management, Hollywood blockbuster screenwriters, and even “world-famous EDM DJs.” Nguyen said that for these families, college is not a short-term consumption but a long-term investment in family wealth.
With the rise of artificial intelligence and countless controversies on college campuses across the country— fierce protest arrive Attacks from the Trump administration— Americans’ views of elite institutions have deteriorated (despite rise slightly from the lowest point in 2024) and many more Questioning The value proposition of a four-year degree. But as recruiters move away from “it doesn’t matter where you go,” Recruit based on degree and GPAElite families may have been right all along, Nguyen said.
Many wealthy families view college as a gold star that can be worn throughout their lives to maintain their status. “They use Ivy Link not necessarily to buy prestige, but to reduce uncertainty and ensure their children are seen and have a brand they will remember for a lifetime.”
Time and time again, these families turn to the most elite colleges in the country. “These institutions have gone through multiple cycles, multiple trends, and remain a filter,” Nguyen said. “Ultimately, the vast majority of our clients still choose elite colleges.”
Get rid of the fear of artificial intelligence
Nguyen said his clients have yet to accept the idea that automation will one day render degrees meaningless. He noted that as the hiring process has become inundated with AI-generated applications, recruiters are increasingly relying on brand names to differentiate candidates. “Employers I’ve spoken to all use looking at their university as the first screening mechanism,” Nguyen said.
Recent hiring trends confirm this sentiment. Veris Insights, the recruiting intelligence firm that conducted the study, said a 2025 survey of more than 150 companies found that more than a quarter were recruiting from short-selection schools, compared with 17% in 2022. report Depend on wall street journal. Today, the company recruits from about 30 of the country’s nearly 4,000 colleges, first at elite colleges and then at schools near its corporate offices.
Ivy Link’s clients go on to pursue careers in law, technology startups, and finance-related fields ranging from investment banking to venture capital. Artificial intelligence is already threatening many of the industries these students are trying to enter. However, Nguyen said the rise of artificial intelligence has made degrees from elite institutions even more important.
“In order to graduate, in order to get those mid-level, more experienced jobs, you have to master the fundamentals that artificial intelligence is eliminating,” he said. “Traditional education is still important.”