List of Ivy League Schools

A List of Ivy League Schools

Although the Ivy League is actually a descriptive term for an athletic conference made of eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States, people interested in a list of Ivy League schools are usually looking for institutions with a record of academic excellence. In most social circles, saying that you graduated from an Ivy League school is taken as an instant indicator of your intelligence and potential for success in life.

The list of Ivy League schools includes:

• Brown University is located in Providence, Rhode Island. It has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 5,800 students.
• Columbia University is located in New York, New York. It has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 7,400 students.
• Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York. It has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 13,500 students.
• Dartmouth College is located in Hanover, New Hampshire. It has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,100 students.
• Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 6,700 students.
• Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey. It has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4,600 students.
• The University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 10,100 students.
• Yale University is located in New Haven, Connecticut. It has an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 5,200 students.

Ivy League schools are sometimes referred to as the "Ancient Eight" or "The Ivies."

Getting Into an Ivy League School

Getting into an Ivy League school can be a difficult process. Since Ivy League schools are fairly small, there is fierce competition for freshman slots. In fact, most Ivy League schools only accept 8-15% of applicants as opposed to the 70-75% acceptance rate at most other public four year colleges and universities in the United States.

There is no magic formula for admission to an Ivy League school, but the following is a general list of the criteria most applicants meet:

• A 1300 or better on the SAT
• A minimum 3.75 GPA, although it's true many applicants do have a 4.0
• Leadership experience and extra-curricular activities that set you apart from the group
• A well-written college essay that provides a look at your accomplishments, character, personality, and career goals
• Strong letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other adults who know you and can assess your potential for success in a college environment

Paying for an Ivy League Education

Since Ivy League schools are selective private institutions, it's only logical that they have much higher tuition and fees that what you would expect to pay as a student at a public state university. However, academically talented students shouldn't automatically rule out the possibility of attending an Ivy League school based on finances alone.

Under fierce public scrutiny for maintaining an elitist reputation, Ivy League schools have begun developing much more generous financial aid policies. Harvard now provides full financial aid to students with family incomes of less than $41,000 per year, while Yale has a similar policy for students with family incomes of less than $45,000 per year. Princeton recently changed its financial aid rules to provide grants, which do not need to be repaid, instead of loans to students from low and middle income families.

In addition to the financial aid offered by the school you wish to attend, remember that there are multiple scholarships provided by organizations across the United States. The application criteria for these awards does vary, but an academic record that's strong enough to guarantee admission to any Ivy League school makes you an excellent candidate for many awards. To learn more about applying for scholarships, check out LoveToKnow College's interview with Gen and Kelly Tanabe, authors of Get Free Cash for College, 1001 Ways to Pay for College, and The Ultimate Scholarship Book.