But rich people — stop giving to the Ivy League! Give where your money will make a difference. Cornell already has an endowment of $4.4 billion. Harvard holds $27.6 billion, Yale $16.7 billion, Stanford $13.8 billion. (Find any 2010 endowment here; the 2011 study is not out yet.) Amherst, Grinnell, Pomona, Swarthmore and Williams number among little liberal-arts colleges whose endowment is at least $1 billion. All schools named in this paragraph are tremendous institutions, but all are already overbuilt physically, have no revenue problems and mainly serve the privileged class. Rich men and women — give your money to colleges that serve average people!

Berea College of Kentucky, founded to serve the poor of Appalachia, has an endowment of $846 million and puts every penny to good use — since it is a private school but does not charge tuition. Many colleges that cater to average people are hurting for money: Bethune-Cookman has a $34 million endowment, Fairleigh Dickinson has a $24 million endowment, Carroll College a $19 million endowment. A big donation to any of these, or many other colleges and universities short on money, would transform lives. A big donation to an Ivy or Stanford just becomes another bronze plaque.

From ESPN & Tuesday Morning Quarterback