Top colleges in the U.S. are known as the Ivy League schools. The best Ivy League schools in US are known for their reputation, top-notch education and fierce competition.
Table of Contents
These schools are in the Northeast of the United States. They have a hard time letting students in. They are known for being great schools with smart teachers. Students who go there get good jobs later on. People think it is a big deal to go to these schools.
The Ivy League schools were first grouped together for sports. But now they are known for making students who do well in life. Some students even become presidents or win huge prizes in various competitions.
The Ivy League schools are old and have great teachers. They give out money to help students pay. To get into schools like Harvard or Columbia, students have to be really good.
In this article, we will explore what it takes to get into the best Ivy League schools in US. We will also take a look at their rankings and acceptance rates. Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
- There are many great colleges besides the Ivy League schools.
- You must consider what you want to study, where you want to live, and the size of the school when choosing a college.
- Ivy League schools are all in the northeastern United States and are known for their history, tradition, and resources.
- Getting into an Ivy League school is very competitive.
- Do your research and apply to a variety of schools, including some that are less selective than the Ivy League schools.
Are Ivy League Schools The Only Best Option In The US?
Not all top schools are in the Ivy League. There are many other great colleges too in the U.S. Going to an Ivy does not mean you will be among the best students. You can get a great education elsewhere.
The Ivy Plus group has schools like Stanford, MIT, Chicago, Duke, Caltech, and more. These are just as good as Ivies. Also, there are many top ivy league schools in California.
The Public Ivies like UC Berkeley and Michigan are also top-notch. Liberal arts colleges like Williams and Amherst are very well-respected too. Depending on what you want, some of these could be an even better fit than any best Ivy League schools in the USA.
How to Choose the Best Ivy League School for You?
The Ivy League schools share some key traits. They are all private universities located in the eastern United States, with similar student body sizes.
As you research potential colleges to apply to, ranking lists can serve as a helpful starting point. However, these lists only provide basic details about the institutions and their rankings based on specific criteria.
When choosing a college, it is important to consider factors beyond just rankings. While these lists give you basic information about the schools and where they rank, picking a school should also be based on other things. This includes:
- What do you want to study?
- Where it is located?
- How big the classes are?
- What learning, and fun activities are offered?
Our research shows that different Ivy League schools are best for certain subjects and settings. Let’s take a look at them:
- The top Ivy for Engineering is Cornell University
- For Political Science, Harvard University or Yale University stand out
- If business is your goal, the University of Pennsylvania can be the best option for you
- For an urban campus, Harvard University is hard to beat
- If you are looking for a suburban setting then Princeton University excels it’s counterparts
- You can go to Dartmouth College if you want a rural vibe while studying.
- Dartmouth College also had the smallest undergrad student body in 2019-2020
- Cornell University boasted the largest undergrad population in 2019-2020
When you pick the best college, think about the campus too. All Ivy League schools are special. Each school has its own cool story reputation and fame. And each one gets known for certain kinds of students.
To know the best college for you, try researching online. Visit the campus if you can. Chat with the students there. It will help you decide the right Ivy League school for you.
Best Ivy League schools In US
Here are some of the best Ivy League schools in US. Let’s take a look at them:
| NAME | LOCATION | NATIONAL UNIVERSITY RANKING |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | 1 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, MA | 3 |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | 5 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 6 |
| Brown University | Providence, RI | 9 |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | 12 (tie) |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | 12 (tie) |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | 18 |
1. Princeton University
Princeton University has been around for a very long time. It is more than 270 years old. It is one of the oldest colleges in the United States. Princeton is a top school for research. It is ranked number one among national universities.
Princeton has great resources for learning. It has special libraries and modern labs. It even has an art museum right on campus. The art museum has nearly 100,000 works of art.
The most popular subjects at Princeton are social sciences, engineering, computer sciences, biological sciences, and public service. The student to teacher ratio is 4 to 1. This allows for small classes and one-on-one attention from professors.
Princeton has one of the highest rates of students graduating in four years. Many great people have gone to Princeton. This includes past presidents, Supreme Court judges, Olympic athletes, and Nobel Prize winners.
2. Harvard University
Harvard University started in 1636. It is the oldest college in the United States. It is also one of the best Ivy League schools. Harvard ranks as the second top college in the nation.
As a private research school, Harvard has more than 100 research centers on campus. Harvard has 13 schools and programs. This includes the top medical school and highly ranked business, graduate studies, engineering, and law schools.
Harvard also has the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Harvard keeps most new students for their second year. Students can join more than 445 clubs, activities, and sports teams, besides classes.
Harvard’s huge library system has the oldest national books. It also has the largest private book collection in the world. Harvard cares about the environment. It offers eco-friendly living for students and staff.
3. Yale University
Yale University is a top school in the U.S. It has great programs for drama and music. The university has 12 schools. It has the best law school in the country. The schools for medicine, business, art, and nursing are also very good.
Students at Yale have found new species and created new products. Students can go abroad to study or do research. The most popular majors are social sciences, biology, history, math, and engineering.
Yale was the first school to give out doctoral degrees. It also had one of the first public health schools. The MacMillan Center studies global cultures and lets students do work overseas.
4. University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is one of the best school in the U.S. It was started by Benjamin Franklin. Penn has classes in liberal arts and job-focused subjects. Penn has the most students from other countries out of all the Ivy League schools.
12% of Penn’s students come from over 100 other countries. More than 2,500 Penn students study in other countries each year. Penn offers study abroad programs in over 50 countries.
Penn’s graduate schools are well-known, like Wharton, Engineering, Medicine, Education, and Law. The university also has good design and dental schools.
The Engineering school has great teachers, labs, and blended classes. Penn has over 300 student groups for politics, arts, sports, and more.
5. Brown University
Brown University is a great place for students who love learning. It lets them choose their own classes and study what they want. This helps them become creative thinkers and risk-takers in their learning.
Students can pick from over 80 different subjects to focus on, like egyptology and assyriology, cognitive neuroscience, or business and entrepreneurship. There is even a special program where students can get both an undergraduate and medical degree in 8 years.
Brown has 6 special libraries for different subjects like science and music. The main library has over 250 special collections with rare research materials for students to use. There are over 500 clubs and groups for students to join too. And all first-year students get to live on campus.
6. Columbia University
Columbia University is the oldest school for higher learning in New York State. It is found on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Columbia is the start of many big things. Some of these are FM radio, the oldest magazine for writing, the first group for Black students, and the first college group for gay rights.
The university has three schools for undergraduate students: Columbia College, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of General Studies.
The business and law schools, Teachers College, and Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons are top graduate and professional schools. Columbia has one of the most diverse groups of students in the country.
In 1953, it was the first university to have 1,000 international students. The university focuses its teaching and research on global issues. This helps create academic relationships across cultures.
Columbia has nine global centers that open up chances for research, teaching, and service around the world. Students can use many academic resources on campus.
Some examples are 22 libraries, over 200 research centers and labs, thousands of internships through the Center for Career Education, and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
Columbia guarantees housing for up to four years, and over 90% of undergrads live on campus. The campus has been seen in many movies like the Spider-Man series. Scenes were filmed in Havemeyer Hall.
7. Cornell University
Cornell University was started in 1865. It is the most recent Ivy League school. Its goal is to find, keep, and share knowledge. Cornell also aims to make creative works and promote exploring new ideas.
Each of Cornell’s seven undergrad schools admits its own students and has its own teachers. But all students get a degree from Cornell.
The two biggest undergrad schools are the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Cornell’s grad schools include the highly ranked Cornell Business School, Medical School, Engineering School, and Law School.
Cornell is known for its great Vet School and Hotel School too. Cornell offers over 100 study areas. It has campuses in Ithaca, New York City, Geneva, Doha, Washington D.C., and Rome.
8. Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is where BASIC was born. This program language led to new computer ideas. The college has a top business school, Tuck. Tuck started the first grad school for management.
Dartmouth also has Thayer for engineering and Geisel for medicine. This college invited Native American students initially. It has more Native gradsuates than other Ivy schools.
Over 50 groups study topics like medicine, arts, engineering, and business. With a 7-to-1 student-teacher ratio and small classes, learning is personal.
Over half do off-campus studies for hands-on global learning. This lets them keep studying without delay.
Ivy League Schools In US Rankings 2024
Many lists rank Ivy League schools based on their overall quality. Big names like Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education releases these rankings. However, each publication uses different factors to create their lists.
For example, U.S. News & World Report focuses on academic reputation. They survey university officials and school counselors to assess this.
On the other hand, Forbes looks at how well graduates are doing in their careers. They consider salaries, student debt, and major achievements like winning a Nobel Prize.
Understanding these ranking criteria can help you choose the right Ivy League school. Let’s see how these Ivy league schools are ranked by other esteemed firms:
| University Name | Forbes Ranking | Niche Ranking | U.S. News Ranking | Wall Street Journal Ranking |
| Princeton | 1 (1) | 3 (5) | 1 (1) | 2 (4) |
| Yale | 2 (2) | 1 (1) | 3 (5) | 3 (7) |
| Harvard | 5 (9) | 2 (4) | 2 (3) (tie) | 1 (3) |
| Penn | 4 (8) | 5 (7) | 4 (6) | 4 (10) |
| Brown | 7 (15) | 7 (10) | 5 (9) (tie) | 7 (26) |
| Dartmouth | 8 (16) | 6 (8) | 8 (18) (tie) | 8 (49) |
| Columbia | 3 (6) | 4 (6) | 6 (12) (tie) | 5 (11) |
| Cornell | 6 (12) | 8 (22) | 7 (12) (tie) | 6 (13) |
Ivy League Schools Endowment Size in 2024
| University Name | Setting | Undergraduate Enrollment | Endowment Size |
| Princeton | Suburban | 5,548 | $36 Billion |
| Yale | Urban | 6,590 | $41.4 Billion |
| Harvard | Urban | 7,240 | $50.9 Billion |
| Penn | Urban | 10,412 | $20.7 Billion |
| Brown | Urban | 7,125 | $6.5 Billion |
| Dartmouth | Rural | 4,170 | $8.1 Billion |
| Columbia | Urban | 9,739 | $13.28 Billion |
| Cornell | Rural | 15,699 | $9.8 Billion |
Ivy League Schools Ranked by Acceptance Rates
Getting into the top Ivy League schools is not easy. The best Ivy League schools, based on rankings, tend to have the lowest acceptance rates. These schools attract many talented students from around the world.
Every year, thousands of excellent students apply to these prestigious universities. However, only a small percentage gets accepted due to the limited number of spots available. The competition is intense.
If you want to know which Ivy League schools have the highest and lowest acceptance rates, here are the latest numbers for your reference.
| University | Class of 2025 | Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 |
| Penn | 5.68% | 4.40% | 4.10% | 5.4% (Projected) |
| Dartmouth | 6.17% | 6.20% | 6% | 5.30% |
| Brown | 5.40% | 5% | 5.10% | 5.20% |
| Columbia | 3.66% | 3.73% | 3.90% | 3.80% |
| Yale | 4.62% | 4.46% | 4.35% | 3.70% |
| Harvard | 3.43% | 3.19% | 3.40% | 3.60% |
| Princeton | 3.98% | ~4% | 5.80% | TBA |
| Cornell | ~8.52% | ~8% | Withheld | Withheld |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the hardest Ivy to get into?
Harvard is a very old and well-known college. It is one of the hardest schools to get into. Harvard was started in 1636 and is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A lot of people want to go there. But, only a few gets in. Last year, out of 43,330 people who applied, only 2,008 were accepted. This means that less than 5 out of every 100 applicants got in.
2. What are the best Ivy League schools in 2024?
Colleges like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are known for being at the top. But Brown, Penn, and Cornell may be best for some majors or programs.
3. What is the most accepted Ivy League school?
Harvard is the hardest college to get into of all the Ivy League schools. Cornell accepts more students than other Ivies. But schools like Caltech, Stanford, and UChicago also turn down many hopeful applicants. Getting into these top schools is challenging for students from all over the world.
4. What are the 8 Ivy League schools?
The eight schools known as Ivy League colleges are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University. These top schools are famous for their high standards and tough entrance tests. Many bright students from all over the world hope to gain entry into these respected universities.
Conclusion
Picking a university is an important choice. It is wise to find one that suits your needs. The best Ivy League schools in US might not always be the right fit. You must look beyond just the ranking lists.
You should think about location too. If cold winters are not your thing, a warm place like Stanford could be better than an Ivy League school up north. Some top universities outside the Ivy League also offer special programs you won’t find at those prestigious schools.
So, please research carefully to ensure a college has the courses and resources to prepare you for your dream career. Also, check admission rates and apply to some safer options too.
You can boost your chances by applying early and highlighting extracurricular activities that match the school’s principles, research areas, and academic programs.
The Ivy League colleges are highly selective. But other excellent universities could be an even better personal fit. Don’t be rigid about your options. Please keep an open mind and choose wisely based on your specific goals and preferences.
Add Comment