America has a rich and historic tapestry of prestigious universities. The term Ivy League is commonly associated with the phrase and names such as Harvard, Yale or Princeton may come to mind. Among the hallowed halls that helped shape the minds of exquisite scholars such as Benjamin Franklin or Bill Gates, one place of higher learning has subtly emerged above the rest as the most prestigious university in America, NASCAR College.
Race City USA
Past the ivy towers of the Northeast sits the Cambridge of the South; Mooresville, North Carolina. Commonly known as “Race City USA,” Mooresville is home to more than 60 NASCAR teams and racing-related businesses, the Memory Lane Motorsports and Historical Automotive Museum as well as the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. It is also conveniently located roughly 21 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway and 29 miles from the NASCAR Hall of Fame. More important however, Mooresville is home to the most prestigious university in America, NASCAR College.
NASCAR College
NASCAR College, or NASCAR Technical Institute, is a satellite campus for the national brand of Universal Technical Institute. While other technical institutes teach students about things like the mechanics of car engines, NASCAR College focuses solely on preparing the American youth for a prosperous career in the most popular motor sport of North America, NASCAR. In the words of the NASCAR Technical Institute:
“NASCAR Technical Institute is the exclusive educational provider for NASCAR and the only campus in the country to offer NASCAR-endorsed training. This 15-week elective trains you in everything from engines, fabrication, and welding, to aerodynamics and pit crew essentials. Through our elite Spec Engine program, select students have the opportunity to build engines that will compete in NASCAR-sanctioned races.”
NASCAR College vs Ivy League
You may think I was being satirical when I referred to a career in NASCAR being prosperous but I assure you, I was not. After spending only 15 weeks engulfed in prestigious higher-learning, NASCAR College graduates have plenty to look forward to. A tire carrier, member of a NASCAR pit crew, can expect to earn upwards of $100,000 a year. This should sufficiently pay off all the student debt NASCAR grads will have to rack-up in their 15-week program that cost less than $20,000.
A student that receives a degree from an Ivy League institute however, will likely be less-fortunate than a NASCAR College grad. According to the US Department of Education, a Brown graduate can expect to earn $63,100 on average, 10 years after school. A Harvard graduate on the other hand, the highest earning school of the Ivy League, will earn $90,900 10 years later on average. Although the current national average to receive a college degree is six years, if a student is able to earn their degree in the minimum 4-year requirement, an Ivy League grad can expect to owe $208,936 after graduation.
The debate of if NASCAR College is the most prestigious university in America is clearly a no-brainer, even for the less fortunate Ivy League graduates.
