Who Are the Ivy League Schools

When you start thinking about thinking about colleges and where you want to apply, you’re probably thinking of schools you know by name. Whether you’re aware of it or not, you’re probably picking a few of the Ivy League schools as places you want to go. But what is the Ivy League and who are the Ivy League schools? Can you name all eight of the most prestigious schools in America?

What is the Ivy League?

Initially, the Ivy League was an athletic conference for some of the oldest, most elite colleges and universities on the East Coast. The athletic conference still exists, but today, the term Ivy League is used to refer to the eight colleges themselves. The Ivy League schools have high standards for admissions, rigorous academics, and open doors for their alumni just, because they graduated from one of the eight.

Who are the Ivy League Schools?

I’m sure you know by now that many schools offer similar perks as the Ivy League schools without actually being part of the Ivy League. So to clear things up, I’ve listed the Ivy League schools below along some tidbits of information so you can get to know them better.

Brown University

Usually considered the most liberal of the Ivy League schools, Brown University is located in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown offers a flexible curriculum that allows you to essentially create your own major. Unlike some of the other Ivy League schools, if you want to get in then you should know the average GPA for admitted students is 4.01 and the majority of accepted students were in the top 10% of their graduating class. Most of the students accepted had an average ACT score of 33 and an average SAT score of 1520 on the 1600 scale. Brown’s average acceptance rate is 9.6%.

Columbia University

Located in NYC, Columbia University is the Ivy League school known for producing alumni like Alexander Hamilton, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Warren Buffet. Columbia is also affiliated with Barnard College, one of the oldest women’s colleges in the country. When viewing its statistics, you’ll find that 97% of Columbia’s admitted students are in the top 10% of their graduating class. With an average ACT score of 34 and SAT score of 1530 on the 1600 scale, it probably won’t surprise you to find out that Columbia’s acceptance rate is 7.4%.

Cornell University

The only Ivy League school to receive partial public funding, Cornell is located a few hours away from NYC in Ithaca, New York. The community as a whole is driven to master tough academics and coming together to celebrate with things like Slope Day and a dragon built by Architecture students. If you’re feeling the Ithaca vibe, then you should know 90% of admitted students were in the top 10% of their graduating class and it has a 14% acceptance rate. In addition, they brought an average of 33 on their ACT and 1430 on the 1600 scale for their SATs.

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire is home to Dartmouth College, one of nine colleges chartered in America before the Revolution. It’s the smallest of the Ivy League schools with a student population under 10,000.  So if you’re looking for a personal college experience with high quality education, this could be the place for you. Don’t let the small size fool you. Dartmouth packs a hefty intellectual punch with 93% of its incoming student ranking in the top 10% of their graduating high school class. Their average ACT score is a 32 and their average SAT score is 1500 on the 1600 scale.

Harvard University

Probably the most infamous of the Ivy League schools, Harvard University calls Cambridge, Massachusetts home. It’s one of the most prestigious universities in the world and is consistently ranked in either first or second place for the best school in America. It has the oldest and largest private collection of libraries in the world. Want to know what you need to get in? All that prestige makes Harvard incredibly challenging to get into with an acceptance rate of 5.4%, an average GPA of 4.04 for admitted students, an average ACT score of 34, and an average SAT score of 1540 on the 1600 scale.

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey is the location for its eponymous university and is the fourth oldest university in the country. Undergraduate students can help faculty directly with research projects, giving them an advantage as they progress in their academic careers. Its acceptance rate is in the middle as far as Ivy League schools go, welcoming in 6.5% of its applicants, which means you could have an easier time being accepted. The majority of those students come in with a 4.0 GPA or higher, an average SAT score of 1580 on the 1600 scale, and an average ACT score of 34.

University of Pennsylvania

Occupying the City of Brotherly Love since 1740, the University of Pennsylvania and is America’s first university. U Penn counts Founding Father Benjamin Franklin as its first University President and was the first Ivy League school to have a woman serve as its President. If you’re thinking about applying here, they suggest you plan ahead. The average GPA for students is about a 3.9, the average ACT score is a 33, and the average SAT score is a 1500 on the 1600 scale.

Yale University

In the small town of New Haven, Connecticut lays Yale University, best known for Handsome Dan, the school’s bulldog mascot, and their plethora of unique traditions for students to participate in. If you’re taking a serious look at Yale, then prepare to partner with tutors, because its standards are very high for. For Yale’s newly admitted class, students brought in an average ACT score of 34, an average SAT score of 1540 on the 1600 scale, and an average GPA of 4.19. Their acceptance rate is 6.3%.

The Ivy League schools are some of the most prestigious schools in the country and are challenging to get into so I strongly suggest meeting with a college consultant to help you map out your high school career if you’re serious about applying. Even though sports were the original focus, the Ivy League today is better known for its academics. With their rich history and substantial endowments, attending one of the Ivy League schools will help set you up for a successful future.

Were you surprised by anything on this list? Which Ivy League school is your dream college and why? Let us know in the comments below. We can’t wait to hear from you!