Ivy League Schools

Brown University

Brown University, located in Providence, Rhode Island, was founded in 1764. Current enrollment stands at about 7,600 students. Brown embraces both the ancient and the modern with a unique department of Egyptology and one of the first media studies departments.

Columbia University

Columbia University of New York enrolled 23, 813 in the 2005 school year. It was originally established as King's College in 1754, but the name was changed after the American Revolution to better reflect the country's sentiments. Columbia houses several well-regarded graduate schools, including the Graduate School of Journalism.

Cornell University

Cornell University in Ithaca, New York was founded in 1865, the last of the Ivy League institutions. The college is partnered with the State College of New York and enrolls over 20,000 students in 14 units. Cornell has even established a campus in Qatar.

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College, the smallest school in the Ivy League, enrolls less than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. It was founded in 1769 in Hanover, New Hampshire and today offers undergraduate degrees in liberal studies, professional programs in medicine, business and engineering, and 18 graduate programs in the arts and sciences. Daniel Webster is just one famous alumnus.

Harvard University

Harvard University was the first university founded in what would eventually become the United States. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard enrolls close to 20,000 students who will some day join more than 270,000 other living alumni.

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey is the home of Princeton University, established in 1746. It enrolls close to 7,000 students. The university boasts among its faculty members Nobel prize winners in physics, literature, economic sciences, and medicine.

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia and has an enrollment of almost 20,000, split fairly evenly between undergraduate and graduate students. Established in 1740, the school boasts a research budget of $660 million.

Yale University

Yale University was founded in 1701 in New Haven, Connecticut. Slightly over 11,000 students attend Yale's undergraduate programs, ten professional schools and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. For just a small snapshot of student achievement at the college, the current range of SAT verbal and math scores for enrolled freshmen is 700 to 790 out of 800 possible points.

Why Pursue An Ivy League Education?

Ivy League schools are typically highly ranked. For instance, in U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Colleges 2006, Harvard and Princeton are tied for first, followed by Yale and University of Pennsylvania. Columbia and Dartmouth round out the top ten.

Ivy League schools are also highly exclusive. The same U.S. News and World Report rankings list Yale, Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton as the schools with the lowest acceptance rates, ranging from 10 to 13 percent. Thanks to their history and stature, their rich reputations allow faculty and students to pursue cutting-edge research while endowments from successful alumni ensure state-of-the-art facilities and resources. Upon graduation, being able to claim an Ivy League degree gives a job applicant a definite edge. In addition, graduates can call on an extensive alumni network for career contacts.