During high school, two of the most important decisions you will make are where you want to go to school and what you want to major in. Going to a good undergraduate university will set you up for success in your future job search and any higher education degrees.
Here are the top 10 undergraduate schools, based on lists by US News, Forbes, and Niche to help you decide what schools to apply for and attend.
1. Harvard University
Harvard is a private institution that was founded in 1636 by the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It is located outside Boston in Cambridge, Massachusetts in an urban setting. The campus size is 5,076 acres and is made up of 13 schools and institutes, including its top-ranked business school, medical school, and law school. The academic calendar is based on semesters.
Harvard boasts the oldest library collection in the US and the largest private collection in the world. Eight presidents have graduated from Harvard, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Other notable alumni include Henry David Thorough and Helen Keller.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 4.7%
Applicants: 57,786
Admitted: 2,320
International Students: 15.6%
Average GPA: 4.18 (Unweighted)
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Intended Fields of Concentration
Social Sciences: 28.1%
Biological Sciences: 18.3%
Humanities: 15.3%
Engineering: 10.3%
Computer Science: 8.1%
Physical Sciences: 7.6%
Undecided: 6.3%
Math: 6%
Tuition and Fees
Tuition: $52,659
Fees: $4,602
Room: $12,056
Board: $7,446
Estimated personal expenses: $3,500
Estimated travel costs: $0-4,150
Total Estimated Cost: $80,263-84,413
See more details at Harvard University.
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private institution and was founded in 1861. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts in close proximity to Harvard University. The academic calendar runs on a 4-1-4 timeline, which includes two four-month-long semesters and a month-long mini-term in between. In practice, this means that students will attend a fall and spring semester, and spend January in one specific class or project.
The focus of MIT is on scientific and technological research and the institute is divided into five schools, which include its highly ranked graduate schools like the School of Engineering and the Sloan School of Management. Freshmen are required to live on campus and about 70% of undergraduates also reside on campus. Distinguished alumni include Buzz Aldrin and the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 4.1%
Applicants: 33,240
Admitted: 1,365
Female: 47%
International: 10%
Average GPA: 4.17 (Unweighted)
Middle 50% Score Range –
ACT: 34-36
SAT: 780-800 (Math), 730-780 (Reading and Writing)
Tuition and Fees
Tuition: $57,590
Student Life Fee: $396
Housing: $11,980
Meals: $6,810
Educational Supplies: $850
Personal Expenses: $2,224
Total: $79,850
To discover more, visit the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
3. Yale University
Yale University is also a private institution that was founded in 1701 in New Haven, Connecticut. It runs on a semester-based academic calendar and is best known for its economics, history, political science, and drama programs. Its sports teams compete in the Ivy League conference and are well known for their rivalry with Harvard. In addition to its undergraduate programs, Yale also has many higher-education institutions like the law school, business school, art school, and nursing school. Each college has a head and a dean who live at the college. During their time at Yale, students will live in one of its 14 residential colleges.
Yale is also well known for its secret society, the most famous of which is the Skull and Bones Society whose members include George W. Bush and John Kerry. Other distinguished alumni include Meryl Street, Bob Woodward, and Edward Norton.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 6.6%
Applicants: 35,220
Enrolled: 1,267
Male to Female Ratio: 52:48
Minority: 55%
First-Generation: 19%
International: 9%
ACT Range: 88% at 32-36
SAT Range
Math: 68% at 760-800
ERW: 49% at 760-800; 38% at 700-750
Tuition and Fees
Tuition: $62,250
Room: $10,500
Board: $7,950
Health Insurance: $2,756
Student Activity Fee: $125
Total: $83,581
Check out Yale to learn more.
4. Princeton University
This private institution was founded in 1746 in Princeton, New Jersey, and operates on a semester-based academic calendar. Its mascot is the Princeton tiger and the sports teams play in the Ivy League conference. The women’s and men’s lacrosse teams are known for their consistently strong performances.
Students live in one of six residential colleges that provide communities and dining services. All undergraduate students are required to write a senior thesis or do an independent project (for engineering students). Notable alumni include US President Woodrow Wilson, model/actress Brooke Shields, and former first lady Michelle Obama.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 5.6%
Total Applicants: 37,601
Total Admits: 1,647
Female: 49%
First-Generation: 18%
Middle 50% ACT: 32-35
Middle 50% SAT: 740-800 (Math); 710-770 (ERW)
Tuition and Fees
Tuition: $57,690
Room: $11,000
Board: $7,710
Miscellaneous Expenses: $3,500
Total: $79,900
See more information at Princeton University.
5. Columbia University
Founded in 1754 in New York City, Columbia University is a private institution with three undergraduate schools: Columbia College, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of General Studies. It also boasts several highly-ranked graduate schools, including the business school, teachers college, law school, and medical school. It runs on a semester-based academic calendar.
The main campus is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with a campus size of 36 acres. The university offers a broad range of student activities, including 28 Greek chapters. More than 90% of the students live on campus. Distinguished alumni include the first Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay and former President Barack Obama.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 3.9%
Total Applications: 60,551
Total Admits: 2,358
Female: 50%
First-Generation: 17%
International: 13%
Middle 50% SAT: 1510-1560
Middle 50% ACT: 34-35
Tuition and Fees
Tuition (for a 30-point program): $58,440
Cost of Living (including room, board, and supplies): $26,010
Student Life Fee (Fall): $657
Health Insurance (Annual): $3,892
Total: $88,999
Learn more at Columbia University.
6. Stanford University
Stanford University was founded in 1885 and is a private institution located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. Stanford is composed of seven schools, three of which are exclusively for graduate programs, including the top-ranked Graduate School of Business, School of Education, School of Engineering, and School of Law. The academic calendar is based on quarters.
Freshmen are required to live on campus and about 25% of the students are active in Greek life. There are many different student organizations such as the Pre-Business Association and the Stanford Solar Car Project. Famous alumni include former President Herbert Hoover, Hall of Fame NFL quarterback John Elway, and golfer Tiger Woods.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 4.8%
Total Applicants: 55,471
Total Admits: 2,190
Female: 51%
International: 12%
First-Generation: 18%
SAT Middle 50%: 750-800 (Math); 720-770 (ERW)
ACT Middle 50%: 32-35
Tuition and Fees
Tuition: $57,693
Room and Board: $18,619
Student Fees: $2,145
Educational Supplies: $1,350
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses: $2,355
Total: $82,162
Explore Stanford to learn more.
7. University of Chicago
The University of Chicago was founded in 1890 in Hyde Park, IL. In addition to its undergraduate programs, Chicago also offers highly-ranked graduate degrees from the Booth School of Business, the Pritzker School of Medicine, and the Harris School of Public Policy Studies, among others. The academic calendar is based on quarters and students can choose from more than fifty majors and forty minors.
Freshmen are required to live on campus and more than 50% of upperclassmen choose to remain on campus. Within dorms, students are put into “houses” that serve as a way to foster tight-knit communities, providing academic and social support. There are more than 450 students organizations to choose from. The University of Chicago boasts 90 Nobel Prize Winners among its alumni and former President Barack Obama served as a professor at the law school for 12 years.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate:7%
Number of Applicants: 37,977
Number Accepted: 2,460
International: 18%
Female: 47%
SAT Middle 50%: 1510-1560
ACT Middle 50%: 33-35
Tuition and Fees
Tuition: $59,256
Student Life Fee: $1,707
Room and Board: $17,685 (On-Campus)
Educational Supplies: $1,800
Personal Expenses: $2,400
Total: $82,848
To learn more, check out: The University of Chicago.
8. University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania was founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin. It is located in Philadelphia, with an urban setting and a campus size of 299 acres. UPenn is composed of twelve schools, seven of which are exclusively for graduate degree programs, including the highly-ranked Wharton School, School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of Education.
The academic calendar is based on semesters. There are ten on-campus houses that students can live in, although many students choose to live in the numerous off-campus apartments and houses available. More than 25% of the students are involved in Greek life and there are more than 50 fraternities and sororities to choose from. There are also many student clubs and organizations, including performance groups like the ballroom dance club and student publications like the Penn Political Review. Notable alumni include singer John Legend and poet William Carlos Williams.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 5.9%
Total Applications: 56,332
Total Admitted: 3,304
Students of Color: 56%
International: 13%
First-Generation: 16%
Female: 54%
SAT Middle 50%: 1490-1560
ACT Middle 50%: 35-36
Tuition and Fees
Tuition: $56,212
Fees: $7,240
Housing: $11,754 (On-Campus)
Food: $6,134
Educational Supplies: $1,358
Transportation: $1,036
Personal Expenses: $2,004
Total: $85,738
Visit the University of Pennsylvania to learn more.
9. Duke University
Duke University, a private institution founded in 1838, is located in Durham, North Carolina. The campus includes ten different schools of colleges, most of which offer both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Graduate programs include the Fuqua School of Business, Pratt School of Engineering, School of Law, School of Medicine, Sanford School of Public Policy, and School of Nursing.
Duke utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Students are required to live on-campus for their first three years and all freshmen live together on the East Campus. Approximately 30% of students are involved in Greek life and there are more than forty fraternities and sororities. Notable alumni include Melina Gates, NBA player Carlos Boozer, and three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 8.2%
Total Applicants: 39,774
Total Accepted: 3,244
International: 9%
Female: 49%
First-Generation: 9%
SAT Middle 50%: 1500-1570
ACT Middle 50%: 34-35
Tuition and Fees
Tuition: $60,594
Room: $9,164
Board: $8,320
Educational Supplies: $3,410
Total: $81,488
Learn more at Duke University.
10. University of California Berkeley
UC Berkeley was founded in 1868 and is a public institution. It is located in the San Francisco Bay area and has a total undergraduate enrollment of 31,814 (2021). It runs on a semester-based academic calendar. It is comprised of 14 different schools and colleges including several graduate programs like the Graduate School of Journalism and the Haas School of Business.
About 95% of freshmen choose to live on campus and there are more than 1000 student organizations and clubs to choose from, including many fraternities and sororities. The mascot is the California Golden Bear and Berkeley’s teams are well-known for their traditional rivalry with Stanford. Historically, UC Berkeley has been a center for liberal student activism. In 1964, a student protest for freedom of speech gained national attention. Notable alumni include Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren and Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley.
Class Profile
Acceptance Rate: 16.4%
Total Applicants: 87,393
Total Admits: 14,336
GPA Middle 25-75%: 4.15-4.30
ACT Middle 25-75%: 30-35
SAT Middle 25-75%: 680-790 (Math); 660-750 (ERW)
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and Fees: $14,254
Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition: $29,754
Health Insurance: $3,286
Room and Board: $17,220
Food: $1,644
Educational Supplies: $870
Personal Expenses: $1,876
Transportation: $400
Total: $39,550 (CA Resident); $69,304 (Non-Resident)
See more here: University of California Berkeley
Final Note
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FAQs
What is the #1 ranked college in America? ›
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
#1 Best Colleges in America.
The U.S. News college rankings are viewed as the gold standard of college ranking lists. Its list is the most well-known and referenced. Here is a basic overview of how U.S. News determines its rankings: A total weight of 22% is given to factors related to "outcomes," such as student retention and graduation rates.
Is Dartmouth a fake Ivy? ›Though there are many prestigious colleges across the United States which are mistaken for Ivy League schools, the eight original schools which make up the Ivy League are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, ...
What is #1 college? ›1. Harvard University. Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
What is the hardest school to get into? ›Harvard, Stanford and Princeton, unsurprisingly, are America's toughest colleges to get into in 2023, according to Niche's most recent rankings.
What is a good college GPA? ›A good college GPA on a standard 4.0 scale can fall between 3.0 and 4.0—or between a B and an A+.
What is the number 1 safest college campus in America? ›According to Niche, a website that offers reviews of schools and colleges across the country, the safest college campus in the U.S. is Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Does college ranking matter in USA? ›While college rankings may not be important to every student, they are a valuable resource that can prove informative, especially when you first start looking at colleges after high school. Overall, it's most important to find a school that matches your wants, needs, and goals for the future.
What are the Tier 2 universities in the US? ›Tier 2 schools include: USC, Washington University in St Louis, Tufts, Tulane, NYU, Boston University, UNC Chapel Hill, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Notre Dame, Emory, University of Virginia, Wake Forest, UT Austin College of Natural Sciences, Boston College, Georgia Tech, William and Mary, UCLA, UC Berkeley, ...
What is the easiest ivy to get into? ›Cornell is considered the "easiest" Ivy League to get into because it has the highest Ivy League acceptance rate.
What is the hardest Ivy academically? ›
Harvard University
The most challenging Ivy League school to get into is Harvard, established in 1636 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to Harvard Admissions, only 2,008 out of 43,330 candidates were accepted to the college.
The Hidden Ivies are colleges and universities considered to rival the eight Ivy League schools without being part of that prestigious group. These schools offer similar academic opportunities to students but might get overlooked because of their lack of popularity when compared to the famous Ivies.
What GPA do you need to get into Harvard? ›The average high school GPA of admitted students at Harvard is around 4.2. 73% of students had a GPA of at least 4.0, indicating that admitted students typically mostly earned A grades in high school. If you're studying the IB, this translates to scoring mostly 7s and achieving a minimum score of at least 42.
What is the richest university in the world? ›Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is one of the richest universities according to endowment ranking, which has 40.9 billion USD.
What is the most prestigious school in the world? ›...
World University Rankings 2023.
Rank | Name Country/Region |
---|---|
1 | University of Oxford United Kingdom |
2 | Harvard University United States |
=3 | University of Cambridge United Kingdom |
=3 | Stanford University United States |
1. International Academy*, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 2. Stanton College Prep*, Jacksonville, Fla.
What is the hardest major to get into? ›Which is the #1 hardest major? Chemistry is listed #1 as the hardest major for students to get into. The average GPA required by students applying for a chemistry major is 2.9. A chemistry degree requires a lot of effort, but once you have one, you have a lot of job alternatives.
What is the hardest class in any college? ›- Calculus.
- Quantum Mechanics / Physics.
- Philosophy / Metaphysics.
- Thermodynamics.
- Statistics.
- Theory.
- English Literature.
- Psychology.
Science majors tend to have lower GPAs on average, with chemistry being the major with the lowest average GPA. Meanwhile, education majors earn the highest GPAs on average.
What is the highest GPA ever? ›Normally, you would expect the highest score to be the 'perfect' 4.0 score, however, there are several things that a student can do to receive an even higher score. For example, one student actually managed to get a 10.03 GPA score. He did this by taking 17 advanced classes at his school, which awarded him many points.
Is A 4.7 A Good GPA? ›
So, is a 4.7 GPA good? The national average GPA is around 3.0, so a 4.7 GPA is well above the national average. However, keep in mind that the 3.0 national average represents the average GPA of all students, not just those applying to universities.
What is the cleanest college campus? ›- University of Colorado Boulder (Boulder, CO) ...
- University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)
- University of North Florida (Jacksonville, FL)
- University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN) ...
- University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA)
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA)
School | Location | Total Cost (2022-2023) |
---|---|---|
Texas A&M International University | Laredo, TX | $4,165 |
South Florida State College | Avon Park, FL | $4,228 |
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, TX | $4,419 |
CUNY City College | New York, NY | $4,546 |
Saginaw Valley State University has ranked No. 1 among all 4-year public universities on the 2023 Niche list of best dorms in America. This is the fourth consecutive year SVSU residence halls have claimed the top spot among all public institutions.
Do employers care which college you went to? ›84% say the institution a candidate attended is a 'very important' or 'important' factor. 71% are more likely to move forward with a candidate who attended a top-tier school. 66% are more likely to move forward with a candidate who attended their own alma mater.
Do top colleges care about class rank? ›Class rank is typically used by moderately selective to highly selective colleges, experts say, with some schools making a concerted effort to recruit valedictorians and salutatorians. Seventy-one percent of the surveyed colleges consider class rank in college admissions, according to U.S. News data.
Do colleges care more about class rank or GPA? ›According to a recent report from NACAC, class rank is considered among the “next most important factors” for college admissions after GPA, test scores, grades, and strength of curriculum.
What are Tier 3 colleges USA? ›Some of the third-tier Universities in the USA include College of Liberal Arts, Babson College, and Virginia Tech.
Is Texas A&M a Tier 1 school? ›Texas A&M University is the sixth largest university in the United States and the largest university in Texas. As a Tier 1 research institution, our university features nationally ranked programs in engineering, agriculture and life sciences, chemistry, architecture and business.
Is UC Berkeley a Tier 1 school? ›The first tier is UC Berkeley and UCLA.
They're the most selective and generally the most well-regarded of the UC schools.
Will one C ruin my chances of Ivy League? ›
Just one bad grade in an advanced level course is not going to ruin your chances at an Ivy League. However, consistently underperforming in advanced classes in your area-of-interest classes will penalize you in the applications process.
What is the cheapest Ivy to attend? ›Princeton. Princeton is commonly regarded as the “cheapest Ivy” thanks to its extensive financial aid offerings.
What is the lowest GPA in Ivy? ›None of the Ivy League schools have a minimum GPA requirement for applications, which means anyone can apply regardless of their GPA.
Which Ivy is the most stressful? ›Two Ivy League colleges made the list of the most stressed college towns and they both happen to be in the top 10 – Harvard University (#2) and Cornell University (#10).
Which Ivy gets the least applicants? ›Dartmouth University is the Ivy League school that receives the least amount of applications. On average, they receive nearly 23,000 applications each year, and this year they received 28,841 applications.
Which Ivy has the smartest students? ›Smarts Rank | Overall Smarts Rank | School |
---|---|---|
1 | 3 | Harvard University |
1 | 3 | Yale University |
3 | 5 | Princeton University |
4 | 8 | Columbia University |
Mackenzie Fierceton was championed as a former foster youth who had overcome an abusive childhood and won a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Then the University of Pennsylvania accused her of lying.
Why is MIT not ivy? ›Duke, MIT, and Stanford aren't Ivy League universities only because they didn't have strong athletic programs when the Ivy League was established.
What is the smallest Ivy League school? ›Dartmouth is the smallest Ivy, with a total enrollment of about 7,000 students.
What is the lowest GPA Harvard will accept? ›You should also have a 4.18 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Harvard, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application. We'll cover those details next.
Which high school sends the most students to Harvard? ›
AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) — The public Texas high school that sends the most students to Harvard, Princeton and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is right here in Austin. Westlake ranked No.
How many AP classes should I take for Harvard? ›Incoming students who have taken AP exams need a total of 32 credits to be eligible for Advanced Standing. Credits are earned by scoring 5 on a minimum of four AP exams. Harvard confers 4 or 8 credits for each eligible AP exam depending on whether the exam covers one semester or one full year's worth of material.
Which university gave most billionaires? ›Counting all degrees, Harvard University comes in first place in terms of the total number of billionaire alumni. The University of Pennsylvania comes in first if only bachelor's degrees are counted, according to the most recent 2022 Forbes report.
What is the most expensive US college? ›College | Tuition Cost |
---|---|
1. Franklin & Marshall College | $65,652 |
2. Columbia University | $65,524 |
3. Reed College | $64,450 |
4. Vassar College | $63,840 |
University of Cambridge, UK
Almost 24,000 students from 141 countries study at this prestigious and world-class institution. The main campus of the university is in the centre of Cambridge city with many older buildings overlooking the River Cam.
Niche, a ranking and review site, recently published its list of the “2023 Hardest Colleges to Get Into.” Using data from the U.S. Department of Education on various colleges' acceptance rates and SAT/ACT scores, they found, unsurprisingly, Harvard University to be the most difficult college to get into.
What is the most luxurious public school in the world? ›The understatedness of the surroundings may come as a surprise since Rosenberg is routinely described as the most expensive school in the world. The average annual fee for students, who are all boarders, is 150,000 Swiss francs, or about £133,000 at current exchange rates.
Is Harvard the #1 college? ›Harvard University's ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #3.
What is the 1 college town in America? ›America's best college town is Stanford, Calif., followed by Williamsburg, Va.
Who is number 1 in college football? ›Is Princeton better than Harvard? ›
...
Harvard vs Princeton Overview.
Harvard | Princeton | |
---|---|---|
QS World University Ranking 2022 | 5 | 20 |
Class of 2025 Acceptance rate | 3.43% | 3.98% |
Average GPA | 3.7-4.0 | 3.7-4.0 |
The GPA requirements for Harvard University are between 3.9 to 4.1. You will need an incredibly high GPA and will likely be graduating at the top of their class in order to get into Harvard University.
Is Yale better than Harvard? ›Top-Ranked Programs
Both Harvard and Yale are competitive rivals in academic programs in medicine, law and management. Beyond that, Yale is more popular for drama and music, while Harvard is more regarded for its engineering and government studies.
MIT and Harvard are equally prestigious universities based in Cambridge, a nearby city of Boston. While MIT focuses primarily on science, math, and technology, Harvard offers a broader variety of liberal arts and sciences programs.
What is 12 the oldest college in the United States? ›Harvard University is the oldest college in America, renowned for academic excellence and its low acceptance rate.
What is the best campus in the United States? ›- Princeton University.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Harvard University.
- Stanford University.
- Yale University.
- University of Chicago.
- Johns Hopkins University.
- University of Pennsylvania.
Evanston Township High School | |
---|---|
Campus size | 65 acres (260,000 m2) |
Color(s) | Orange (PMS 1665) Blue (PMS 289) |
Slogan | "It's a great day to be a Wildkit!" |
Fight song | ETHS Cheer Song |
Rank | Team | Record |
---|---|---|
1 | Georgia | 15-0 |
2 | Michigan | 13-1 |
3 | Texas Christian | 13-2 |
4 | Ohio State | 11-2 |
RK | Team | PTS |
---|---|---|
1 | UGA (63) | 1575 |
2 | TCU | 1482 |
3 | MICH | 1423 |
4 | OSU | 1404 |
Rank | Team | Next Game |
---|---|---|
7 | Penn State 11-2 | — |
8 | Washington 11-2 | — |
9 | Tulane 12-2 | — |
10 | Florida State 10-3 | — |
Is it easier to get into Princeton or Yale? ›
...
Yale vs Princeton Compared.
Stanford has an advantage when it comes to ranking. Both schools have a few points of difference on various ranking lists. For example, QS World University ranks Stanford #1 and Harvard #2 for the best business schools in 2022. In US News ranking for best business school (MBA), Stanford has moved to the third rank.
What GPA do you need to get into Princeton University? ›You should also have a 3.9 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Princeton, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application. We'll cover those details next.