{"id":1427,"date":"2019-12-11T04:41:15","date_gmt":"2019-12-11T04:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/52.151.20.243\/?p=1427"},"modified":"2025-08-29T02:41:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T02:41:20","slug":"an-it-certification-by-any-other-name-busting-the-ivy-league-it-myth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skillup.online\/blog\/an-it-certification-by-any-other-name-busting-the-ivy-league-it-myth\/","title":{"rendered":"An IT Certification by Any Other Name: Busting the Ivy League IT Myth"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you work in or are currently a student of Information Technology, chances are you’re getting bombarded with ads for the most recent batch of IT certifications almost daily.\u00a0 \u201cAccelerate your IT career here!”, “Multiply your earnings with an online certification here!”, and so on.<\/p>\n

Often, these types of ads come through social media from a recognized Ivy League college<\/a> or your alma mater. And what\u2019s not to love? Who doesn’t want a new Harvard, MIT, or Yale endorsed IT certificate? If you\u2019re at the stage where you\u2019re seriously looking for ways to advance your IT career though, these ads can be confusing. What exactly does each one offer and what’s the difference between these and the courses you might find through an online platform such as SkillUp Online<\/a> or even a local institution offering online certifications? Is the cost difference justifiable or are you just paying for a name?<\/p>\n

In this article, we’ll dissect the topic of online Ivy League IT certifications vs\u2026 well, everything else. That includes the differences, similarities, and deciding factors that may help decide which one is right for you. Our goal is to help you make a more informed decision; one that hopefully leads to a better outcome for you, the learner.<\/p>\n

First things first, if you’re new to the field of IT, it may not be immediately clear that, regardless of the school you attend (Ivy League or Otherwise), IT certifications are mostly driven by the sponsoring company. If you’re going for a Microsoft Azure Certification, then the majority of the content and delivery model is determined by Microsoft not the Ivy League institution. Foundation level courses in AI, Data Science, and the like are starting to pop up<\/a>. But by and large, this is the status quo.\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"<\/p>\n

As a result and when deciding on an IT certification, you’re really making a decision on how you want to receive that information not the quality of its content. Harvard\u2019s actual curriculum, for instance, won’t vary too much in scope from your\u00a0 local community college in this regard and where certifications are concerned. This is not to say that they haven\u2019t made tweaks; the base content is the same however and an applied learner can come out with the same general knowledge.<\/p>\n

Understanding this leaves three critical questions that – when answered – should significantly impact your decision making process on where to go for your IT certification. They are:<\/p>\n