December 22, 2025 Edition
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A public land-grant university founded in 1848, UW-Madison is known for the "Wisconsin Idea"—the principle that education should influence people's lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom. It is a major center for research in biochemistry and social sciences.
Founded in 1764, Brown is a private Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island. It is famous for its "Open Curriculum," which allows students to design their own course of study without traditional core requirements or distribution rules.
Chartered in 1789, UNC is the oldest public university in the U.S. to hold classes. It is a "Public Ivy" known for its strong programs in journalism, medicine, and public health, and its historic rivalry with Duke University.
UC Davis is a public land-grant university founded in 1905. It began as the university's farm school and has grown into a world leader in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and environmental sciences.
UCSB is a public research university known for its stunning beachside campus and its massive output in materials science and physics. It has an unusually high number of Nobel Prize winners among its active faculty.
BU is a private research university founded in 1839. It is one of the largest private universities in the U.S. and has a strong reputation in communication, law, and medicine. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of its most famous alumni.
USC is a private research university in Los Angeles. Founded in 1880, it is famous for its School of Cinematic Arts, its massive research budget, and its powerful alumni network known as the "Trojan Family."
Located in Columbus, Ohio State is one of the largest universities in the U.S. by enrollment. It is a public land-grant university known for its high research volume and its "Buckeye" athletics, particularly its football program.
Pennsylvania State University is a public land-grant university founded in 1855. Its main campus at University Park is the flagship of the system, known for its strong engineering programs and one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the world (THON).
Founded in 1851, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is a public land-grant research university. It is a major center for research in agriculture, engineering, and psychology, located in the vibrant metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Emory is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. It is world-renowned for its healthcare programs and its close association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is located adjacent to its campus.
Founded in 1855, MSU was the first agricultural college in the U.S. and served as the model for the Morrill Act. It is a public land-grant university known for its top-ranked programs in education and supply chain management.
Purdue is a public land-grant university in Indiana. It is known as the "Cradle of Astronauts" because it has produced more than 25 astronauts, including Neil Armstrong. Its engineering and aviation programs are world-leading.
UMD is a public land-grant university and the flagship of the University System of Maryland. It is a major research hub, benefiting from its proximity to Washington D.C. and federal agencies like NASA and the NIH.
Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is a private Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire. It is unique among the Ivies for its "College" designation, reflecting its heavy focus on undergraduate liberal arts, though it also hosts prestigious professional schools like Tuck (Business) and Geisel (Medicine).
UCI is a public land-grant university founded in 1965. It is known for its strong programs in the sciences, particularly its work on the depletion of the ozone layer (which led to a Nobel Prize for F. Sherwood Rowland).
Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C., is a private Jesuit research university and the oldest Catholic institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1789. It is globally renowned for its Walsh School of Foreign Service and its prestigious programs in law, government, and international relations. Its proximity to the U.S. capital provides students with unique opportunities for engagement with political and global affairs.
The University of Arizona is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, established in 1885. It is particularly distinguished for its leadership in space sciences and astronomy, managing several world-class observatories and participating in numerous NASA missions. The university also excels in the fields of optical sciences, environmental research, and hydrology.
Rice University is a highly selective private research university in Houston, Texas, known for its small student body and high research activity. It is consistently ranked among the top universities in the U.S. for its programs in nanotechnology, space science, and materials science. The university's unique residential college system fosters a close-knit and collaborative academic community.
Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the University of Virginia is a premier public research university in Charlottesville and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is famous for its 'Academical Village' and its commitment to student-led governance and honor. UVA is highly regarded for its top-tier graduate schools in law, business (Darden), and medicine.
Founded in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh is a leading public-related research university characterized by its iconic 42-story Cathedral of Learning. It is a global leader in health sciences and medical research through its close partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Pitt is also famous for being the site where Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine.
Vanderbilt University is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, founded in 1873. It is renowned for its academic excellence, particularly in biomedical research, education, and music. The university's campus is a designated arboretum and sits in the heart of Nashville, offering students a vibrant urban environment combined with elite academic rigor.
Located in Cleveland, Ohio, Case Western Reserve University is a private research institution formed by the 1967 merger of Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University. It is famous for the historic Michelson-Morley experiment and remains a leader in biomedical engineering, medicine, and law. The university is deeply integrated into the cultural and medical hub of Cleveland's University Circle.
The University of Colorado Boulder is the flagship institution of the University of Colorado system and a major center for aerospace engineering and atmospheric sciences. It is a leading partner of NASA and has produced multiple Nobel laureates, particularly in physics. The campus is noted for its stunning location at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.