Yet Again, Ivy Leaguers Successfully Make Themselves Look Like Jerks

There was an article in the New York Times yesterday called “The Dating Game for the Ivied and Pedigreed.” We think a better title would have been, “Ivy League Students and Wannabes are Romantically Desperate, Snobbish Airheads.”

Basically, there is a special club that you—solely by virtue of your soon-to-be-earned Harvard degree—may join some day, when you inevitably find yourself alone and unloved in Manhattan a few years down the road. It’s called the Ivy Plus Society (the “Plus” is for schools that aren’t officially Ivies but are also kind of cool… you know, like Stanford or something). If you’re looking for that rare someone who’s as smart, good-looking, socially graceful—and most important, as well-educated—as your Ivy League self, then this is the club for you.

Yes. We know. If you aren’t wincing yet, you will, after the jump.

We at FlyBy recognize that people are attracted to those who are like them. Some of us might even admit, maybe sheepishly, that this Ivy Plus Society idea has some merit—if you’re looking for a significant other (or, okay, “business contact”), it’s not unreasonable to take advantage of an opportunity to meet a number of arguably accomplished people who immediately understand all your references. So we’re not saying we’ve never been guilty of elitism—but must we be so proud of it?

Ben Pike, a 2006 Georgetown graduate, was settled into a copper-colored sofa in the back of Gates lounge. He said he hoped to meet New York women who were more than merely gorgeous. “I’ve been in the city three years and dated girls who are legitimate models, and that gets old,” said Mr. Pike, who works in private equity. “I have high standards. I’ve met people who are really smart but don’t have it together socially, and people who are fun but may not offer more mentally.” The total package, he explained, is tough to find.

Oh, the woes of being a brilliant, wealthy, persnickety New York male. Sorry those "legitimate models" weren't intelligent enough for you.

And even though there’s no “Ivy Plus police” at parties to ban those who didn’t graduate from elite schools (Jessica W. Anderson, who founded the first Ivy Plus in Southern California,  is quoted as saying, “If you’re hearing about the events, you’re probably connected to this academic community and we certainly welcome you to attend.”) and no membership fee to block people economically, we have to say, there’s still definitely an element of douchebagery:

A couple of guests were called out for not having gone to Ivy Plus universities, she said, and one gentleman began rattling off his other accomplishments.

“The guy went to, like, Illinois,” she said, trying to recall the college.

“I don’t remember,” she added. "But his friend kept saying, ‘You’re not even a plus.’ ”