The original eight Ivy League colleges and other institutions that are sometimes confused for Ivy League schools will both be covered in this article along with the key factors to take into account while selecting the best school for you.
An Ivy League School is what?
The Ivy League Athletic Conference is made up of eight elite private colleges and universities in the Northeast. Ivy League universities have come to be associated with prestige over time.
The eight original Ivy League schools are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. Despite the fact that many prestigious colleges in the United States are mistaken for Ivy League institutions.
The 8 Ivy League Universities
1. Brown University
A research institution in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University is renowned for its demanding and adaptable open curriculum, which enables students to select a specialized area of study. The school is extremely exclusive, with an acceptance rate of only 8%, and the typical applicant has an SAT score between 1440 and 1520 or an ACT score between 32 and 35.
2. Columbia College
New York City is the location of Columbia University. According to Niche’s 2020 Best Colleges, Columbia University is placed first among American universities for philosophy, second among those English, and second among those performing arts.
The university has more than 200 research centres and institutions and provides hundreds of study fields. With a 6% acceptance rate, Columbia University is even more selective than Brown University. The average SAT or ACT score for admitted students is in the 1450–1560 range at Columbia.
3. Cornell College
Located in Ithaca, New York, Cornell University boasts a sizable undergraduate student body of more than 15,000 students. Business, computer science, and biology are some of its well-liked majors. It received rankings of #1 for Best Schools for Agricultural Sciences in America and #3 for Best Colleges for Architecture in America in Niche’s 2020 Best Colleges. The average student at Cornell University has an acceptance rate of 11%, with SAT scores ranging from 1390 to 1540 and ACT scores between 32 and 34.
4. Dartmouth University
The top-ranked institution in New Hampshire is Dartmouth College, which is situated in Hanover. With just over 4,000 undergraduate students, it is a relatively modest school when compared to the other Ivy League institutions. Dartmouth has a 9% acceptance rate and only accepts candidates with SAT scores between 1420 and 1560 and ACT scores between 31 and 35.
5. Harvard College
Ivy League school Harvard University is arguably the most well-known. It is a medium-sized university with about 7,000 undergrad students and is situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard’s acceptance rate is under 5%, making it a relatively selective institution.
The SAT scores and ACT scores of accepted students typically range from 1460 to 1580 and 33 to 35 respectively. According to Niche’s 2020 Best Colleges, Harvard is recognized as the best university for studying biology and political science. The Partnering Colleges program of Harvard Business School Online (HBS Online) includes the University of the People (UoPeople).
6. Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey is the home of Princeton University. The university was established in 1746, making it the fourth-oldest in the country. Similar to Harvard, it is a medium-sized college with about 5,000 undergraduate students and a very low acceptance rate of just 5%. Its most sought-after degrees include economics, public policy analysis, and computer engineering. It is ranked as the second-best college in the nation for studying political science and public policy. The SAT ranges from 1440 to 1570, and the ACT ranges from 32 to 35.
7. Pennsylvania University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is home to the University of Pennsylvania, usually referred to as “Penn.” With an average undergraduate enrollment of 10,000 students and a competitive acceptance rate of 8%, it is a sizable institution. Nursing, economics, and finance are popular majors at Penn, which is ranked as the top business institution in the country. The typical ACT score range is 32–35 while the SAT score range is 1420–1550.
8. Yale University
At New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University is a research and liberal arts university. It is ranked first among American universities with the best teachers and first among those where history is offered as a major. Just 6% of applicants are accepted, and those that are accepted often have average SAT scores in the 1460–1570 range and ACT scores in the 33–35 range.
Four more institutions to keep an eye on
Many prestigious and selective institutions are confused for Ivy League universities. This is a result of their excellent reputation, stringent admission requirements, and occasionally, their proximity to Northeastern Ivy League universities.
These are four more prominent universities that are sometimes confused with Ivy League institutions.
1. Stanford University
The university that is most frequently confused with an Ivy League school is Stanford. It shares the sixth spot in the U.S. News national rankings with Penn. This reputation may result from its extremely low acceptance rate of just 4%.
2. MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has an admittance rate of 7% and is a prestigious and selective institution. With Yale and Columbia, it is ranked #3 in the U.S. News National Rankings.
3. Northwestern College
Considering Northwestern’s excellent rankings and discerning admissions process, many people mistake it for an Ivy League institution. It has a mere 8% admission rate and is placed #9 in the U.S. News National Rankings.
4. Chicago University
In sixth place, the University of Chicago is close behind Stanford and Penn. Its 7% acceptance rate puts it on an equal footing with several Ivy League schools.