Ivy League Universities & Colleges
Although there are many great academic institutions in the United States-University of Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame and Massachusetts Institute of Technology all come to mind-only eight are considered Ivy League schools. The northeastern schools that make up the Ivy League are Harvard, Princeton, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell and Brown. The Ivy League refers to the athletic conference these eight schools belong to; however, many associate the Ivy League moniker with elitism and academic excellence.
Harvard University
Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2010 was ranked best college in the country by U.S. News and World Report. The university is the oldest in the nation, established in 1636 and named after the school's first benefactor, John Harvard. Extremely selective, Harvard accepts only 8 percent of all applicants. Aside from its competitive undergraduate school, Harvard also is home to the world-renowned John F. Kennedy School of Business, Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Law School. Along with being the top-ranked university in the country, Harvard also has the highest four-year graduation rate at 97 percent.
Harvard University
Massachusetts Hall
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-495-1000
harvard.edu
Princeton University
Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey, and ranked in the No. 2 spot on U.S. News and World Report's 2010 Best Colleges list. Established in 1746, Princeton has had many notable scholars graduate from or work at the university, including Albert Einstein, John F. Nash and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The university also is known for their program excellence in humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering in the Schools of Architecture, Engineering and Applied Science and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. A selective university, Princeton accepts only 10 percent of prospective students and does not accept transfer students. Princeton's graduation rate is 95 percent, one of the best in the country.
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ 08544
609-258-3000
princeton.edu
Yale University
Yale University was founded in 1701 in New Haven, Conn. In U. S. News and World Report's 2010 ranking it is listed as the No. 3 college in the country. A world-renowned research university, Yale has produced 48 Nobel laureates. Of the undergraduate programs, history, political science, economics and English literature are among the most popular and most sought after degrees. In addition to being known for their education excellence, Yale is noted for a secret society of seniors known as the Skull and Bones. Co-founded in 1832 by General William Huntington Russell and Alphonso Taft, past Bonesmen include former presidents William Howard Taft (son of Alphonso Taft), George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, College Football Hall of Fame coaches Amos Alonzo Stagg and George W. Woodruff, and many other political, economical and cultural leaders. Yale is, too, a selective school, accepting only 9 percent of possible incoming students. Perhaps it's the selectivity that allows Yale to have a 96 percent graduation rate.
Yale University
P.O. Box 208234
New Haven, CT 06520
203-432-9316
yale.edu
University of Pennsylvania
Ranked as the No. 4 Best College in the U.S. by U.S. News, the University of Pennsylvania was founded in 1740. The founding father and mind behind the university. was none other that Benjamin Franklin. Although not as selective as the other Ivy League schools, the University of Pennsylvania accepts only 17 percent of future students. Not only is Penn known as one of the top universities, but it also has one of the best medical schools in the country. Penn has a graduation rate of 95 percent,.
University of Pennsylvania
3451 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-898-7507
upenn.edu
Columbia University
Located in the heart of New York City, Columbia University is one of two Ivy League schools in NY. Founded in 1754, Columbia accepts 19 percent of the students who apply. Besides being an Ivy League school known for it's undergraduate program, Columbia also has one of the best undergraduate and graduate engineering schools in the country. In the 1940's, Columbia's research of the atom made it internationally known.
Columbia University
2960 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
212-854-2522
columbia.edu
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is located in Hanover, New Hampshire, and was founded in 1769. Although the smallest of the Ivy League schools, Dartmouth has a large amount of student organizations and activities (over 200) to take part in. Aside from being an institution of academic excellence, Dartmouth also has renowned glee clubs, choirs and ensembles.
Dartmouth College
6016 McNutt Hall
Hanover, NH 03755
603-646-2875
dartmouth.edu
Cornell University
New York's second Ivy League school is Cornell University, which is located in Ithaca. The private institution was founded in 1865 and was the first university that began teaching American History as well as establishing the first university press. Although the acceptance rate for getting into Cornell is 21 percent, if you apply early your chances increase by 10 percent.
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607-255-5241
cornell.edu
Brown University
Brown University is located in Providence, RI, and was found in 1764. Widely known as the least "snobby" of the Ivy League schools, the school still has a low acceptance rate of 11 percent. However, with a tighter acceptance rate comes a higher graduation rate, at 95 percent. The university also has over 100 different degrees that the students can choose to major in.
Brown University
P.O. Box 1920
Providence, RI 02912
401-863-2378
brown.edu
Tags: graduation rate, League schools, rate percent, University Pennsylvania, graduation rate percent