Parents across the country and around the world often push their children to reach the highest levels of academic success. For many, admission to the most elite institutions, particularly the Ivy League, is seen as a defining marker of achievement leading to life-altering success.
Yet with limited spots, intense competition and financial constraints, many capable students will not have access to these institutions. This is an unfortunate reality of the academic ecosystem. Still, the opportunity to truly excel is not limited to a small number of elite schools. More important, in many cases, are the environments parents help create for their children, which can shape their success in lasting ways, regardless of where they ultimately enroll.
A recent analysis in The Atlantic suggests that the value of an Ivy League education lies less in classroom instruction and more in the environment they foster. Central to the article is the idea that the substance of education is fungible. However, what is irreplaceable is the intangible environment in which students are educated. Students are surrounded by high-achieving peers, strong networks and a culture that reinforces ambition and opportunity. Over time, these factors help shape long-term outcomes.
Parents, it seems, can have a meaningful influence on their children’s futures by intentionally shaping the environments in which they are raised and educated. This insight extends well beyond higher education. If environment plays a defining role in success, then the environments children grow up in deserve careful attention, particularly in the context of divorce.
Family law often focuses on custody arrangements, parenting time and financial support. These issues are essential. However, children also benefit from consistent access to stable, opportunity-rich environments that support their development over time. Divorce can disrupt those environments through relocation, changes in school districts and shifts in daily structure. These changes are not neutral. They can influence a child’s peer group, expectations and long-term trajectory.
Parents should aim to provide their children with an “Ivy League-like” environment, one defined by strong peer groups, high expectations and access to opportunity, regardless of marital status, wealth or the institution a child ultimately attends. Even when divorce introduces disruption, maintaining a focus on long-term growth and development remains essential.
Support for a child’s future success must extend beyond finances. Tools such as 529 college savings plans are important and should be prioritized, but financial preparation alone is not enough. Preparing a child for future opportunities requires sustained investment in academic development, extracurricular involvement, mentorship and guidance. It reflects years of effort in creating a home environment that fosters discipline, curiosity and resilience.
Decisions surrounding 529 college savings plans can also serve as a model for how parents approach a child’s future more broadly after divorce. When structured with a focus on long-term outcomes, rather than short-term disagreement, they reflect a shared investment in a child’s success. That same approach should carry over into decisions about schooling, environment and developmental support, where consistency and cooperation are often just as important as financial contributions. The choices parents make in these areas are critical and can play a decisive role in shaping whether a child has the opportunity to succeed in the future.
The environment provided at an Ivy League, or any collegiate institution whether private or public, builds upon and refines the foundation that families can and should be establishing at home. In many ways, these institutions serve as a continuation of that early environment, helping prepare students for the transition into adulthood.
For many families, education has long been viewed as a pathway to opportunity and stability across generations. That principle remains true. For parents navigating divorce, the question is not only what will be divided in separation, but what type of environment can be cultivated for their children going forward and how it will shape their development. Decisions about where a child lives, where they attend school and how they are supported over time are decisions that shape their future. Preserving access to strong environments, and the support systems that sustain them, should remain a central priority and can have a lasting impact on a child’s ability to succeed.
This article originally appeared as a column for the Cleveland Jewish News.