Choosing a college in the United States can be both exciting and overwhelming, thanks to the wide variety of options available. From large public universities with a plethora of resources and vibrant campus life to small liberal arts colleges that focus on individualized and specialized learning, there’s something for every skill set, mentality, and overall fit. There are also community colleges, technical schools, and top-tier private universities, each offering unique experiences and rewards for their students. Understanding the differences between these types of colleges can help students find what works best for them and weigh the pros and cons of each decision for their future.

Ivy Leagues

Ivy League colleges are some of the oldest private universities in the nation, with the oldest founded in 1636 and the most recent in 1865. These are some of the most prestigious universities in the world, offering excellent academic programs and significant networking opportunities. They began as an athletic conference but later developed a stronger academic focus over time.

• Harvard University: Harvard is the most prestigious and popular among all Ivy League schools. Founded in 1636 by John Harvard, it offers excellent pre-law, business, and science programs and is home to the Harvard Library, the largest academic library in the world. Its acceptance rate is around 3.2%, and it is located in the Boston metropolitan area.
• Yale University: Yale was founded in 1701, and its most popular majors include pre-law, drama, and other social sciences. It has an acceptance rate of around 4.6% and is located in New Haven, Connecticut.
• Princeton University: Founded in 1746, Princeton prioritizes STEM fields, mainly focusing on mathematics, physics, and public policy. It has an acceptance rate of around 4.5%.
• Columbia University: This university is located in bustling New York City. Founded in 1754, it has an outstanding journalism program, as well as strong international affairs and medical programs. The acceptance rate is around 3.9%.
• University of Pennsylvania (UPenn): Located in the “City of Brotherly Love,” Philadelphia, UPenn is home to the Wharton School, one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. They also have great medical and law schools. The acceptance rate for UPenn is around 6.5%.
• Brown University: Located in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown focuses on the liberal arts and biological sciences. Founded in 1764, it has an acceptance rate of around 5.1%.
• Dartmouth University: Founded in 1769, Dartmouth emphasizes engineering and government programs. It is located in New Hampshire and has an acceptance rate of around 6.4%.
• Cornell University: Also located in New York, but in the city of Ithaca, Cornell was founded in 1865. It has extensive programs in engineering, agriculture, and related science fields.

Overall, these colleges are some of the most competitive and toughest to get into. Many of their students have near-perfect GPAs and test scores. All of these colleges are located in the northern part of the nation and offer extensive networking opportunities with many large corporations and government agencies.

Distinguished Private Universities

These universities are also some of the most prestigious, competitive, and popular colleges in both the country and the world. However, these are separate entities from the Ivy League; they have similar factors but don’t fall within the same criteria as Ivy League colleges. There are no official legal group names for these universities; they just fall under the same branch, sharing similar characteristics that separate them from the Ivy Leagues.

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): A neighbor to Harvard, MIT is a world-renowned school that was founded in 1861 and is known for its top computer science and engineering programs. They have an acceptance rate of around 4%.
• Stanford University: Founded in 1885 in the Bay Area, this university has a massive computer science and business program, and its proximity to Silicon Valley provides students with great networking and career opportunities. Stanford has an acceptance rate of around 4%.
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech): Founded in 1891 and located in Pasadena, California, this university is known for its computer science, engineering, and physics programs. Their graduate program in theoretical physics is said to be one of the best, if not the best, in the world. Caltech has an acceptance rate of around 2.7%.
• Johns Hopkins University: Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this university was founded in 1876 and is one of the best for biomedical engineering, medical, and biological sciences. They have around a 7.3% acceptance rate.
• University of Southern California (USC): Located in Los Angeles, California, this university was founded in 1880. Its top programs are media and entertainment, business, and engineering. USC has around a 12% acceptance rate.
• University of Chicago (UChicago): Founded in 1890 in Chicago, Illinois, this university has major programs in economics, law, business, and other humanities. UChicago has around a 5.4% acceptance rate.
• New York University (NYU): Founded in 1831 in Lower Manhattan, it’s known for its great media arts, entertainment, and Stern School of Business programs. NYU has around a 12.5% acceptance rate.
• Carnegie Mellon University (CMU): Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it was founded in 1900 and offers great opportunities in computer science, engineering, and robotics. It also has strong schools in business and public policy. Carnegie Mellon has around an 11.3% acceptance rate.

These schools offer some of the best academic programs in the country, with campuses located across various regions, some in the South, others in the West, and some in the North. They provide the core elements of a top-tier college education and are frequently among the most applied-to institutions.

Public Ivies

These are public institutions that have low acceptance rates and excellent academic performance. These schools provide exceptional academic programs, great facilities, and competitive research opportunities while offering a diverse and unique campus experience. While they don’t meet the criteria for Ivy League, Public Ivies are often considered among the top public universities in the nation.

• University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (UMich): Founded in 1817 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the university is known for its computer science and engineering. They also have strong schools in business and medicine. They have an acceptance rate of around 17.7%.
• University of Virginia (UVA): Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and founded in 1819, this university is known for its liberal arts education and strong law programs. They have an acceptance rate of around 18.7%.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC): Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this public ivy was founded in 1789. Its most popular programs are in business, finance, and pre-med. UNC has an acceptance rate of around 19%.
• University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley): Founded in 1868 in Berkeley, California, it is the first college in the University of California system. It has top programs in STEM fields such as computer science, engineering, and biology and a great business school. This school has an acceptance rate of around 11.3%.
• University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA): Located in Los Angeles, California, this university was founded in 1919 and has top programs in film and television, economics, business, and biology. The acceptance rate for this school is around 8.8%.
• University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin): Located in Austin, Texas, this university was founded in 1883. Its top majors are computer science, engineering, and business. This university has an acceptance rate of around 31.4%.
• University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison): Founded in 1848 and located in Madison, Wisconsin, with top programs in computer science and economics. They have an acceptance rate of around 49%.
• Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University (PSU SHC): This honors college at Penn State was founded in 1980, and its top programs include business, engineering, and computer science. The acceptance rate for the honors school is around 10-20%.
• University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (UIUC): This university was founded in 1867, and its top majors are computer engineering, psychology, and biology. This university has an acceptance rate of around 45%.

These universities have different characteristics that make them distinct and fall under various categories. It is best to take the time to research every school and know the ins and outs and the pros and cons of each variable. More options were not listed that fall under the same umbrella. It’s in your best interest to take a deep dive into the ones that spark your interest. In the end, we all want to make the right choice. Hopefully, this little guide gives you that head start you are looking for.