The Ivy League is an association of 8 universities in the North-eastern United States, which are considered most prestigious for undergraduate study in USA. In the beginning, they were an athletic conference but later the name, Ivy League, used to refer to a group beyond the sports context. These schools are popular for their academic expertise, selection procedure and social illuminate.

The 8 universities are:

• Brown University
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Dartmouth College
• Harvard University
• University of Pennsylvania
• Princeton University
• Yale University

History

Though the term, Ivy League, was first coined in 1933, it was approved only after the formation of NCAA Division I athletic conference in 1954. Among these eight institutions, seven were established during the United States colonial period but Cornell was established in 1865.

Rankings

Most of the students who want to have their undergraduate study in USA, brainstorm over which is Ivy school is better than the other. But it’s very difficult to rank Ivy League Schools because all are known for their academic excellence and, moreover, every organization considers different factors in ranking the universities. Here, we are listing out the rankings of those eight Ivy League schools by three organisations: US News, Forbes and Niche.

Though in most of the rankings Harvard, Princeton and Yale are in top ranking; all the eight schools are in the top 15 National Universities on US News list. Most of the Ivy League schools are very akin to academic reputations with huge funds offering astronomical financial aid.

FACTORS DIFFERENTIATING THE IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS

Acceptance Rate

Though Cornell has the highest acceptance rate, it still accepts only 16 percent of its applicants. The rankings of the institutions are individualized but they can greatly disclose the opinions of employers, graduate schools and common public. Even though Cornell and Harvard are both unbelievably prestigious schools in providing world-class education, there is a general consensus that Harvard is the better school for study abroad in the USA. However, if you wish to pursue your undergraduate study in the USA particularly in an Ivy League school, you have to do extensive research and brainstorming to come to a conclusion regarding an Ivy League school for your study abroad in the USA.

Location

The other significant difference among the Ivy League schools is their location which should also to be considered while choosing the school for your study abroad in the USA because they are located in urban, suburban and rural areas. The five universities, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown and University of Pennsylvania, are in urban areas whereas two universities, Cornell and Dartmouth, are in rural areas. The remaining one, Princeton University, is located in suburban area.

Programs Offered

Also, to be considered while selecting the Ivy League schools is the programs offered by them. Though all the eight Ivy League schools established a trend in humanities, social sciences and STEM courses, they are also good at offering disparate programs, majors and concentrations. For instance, Cornell through its School of Hotel Administration offers business management program to focus on hospitality. The University of Pennsylvania offers a variety of undergraduate business management majors which are unique to the school. Columbia had set a trend in general education requirements in its core curriculum whereas Brown is quite opposite in this regard. Hence it is compulsory to compare and contrast prior to the selection of schools for your undergraduate study in the USA.

The Size of the School

Apart from the above considerations, the size of the school should also be taken into account before opting for an Ivy League school for your study abroad in the USA. Though most of the Ivy League schools are of the same size, there are minor differences. For example, Cornell’s undergraduate enrolment is three times the size of Dartmouth’s.

Campus Culture

Finally, the campus culture of each school should also be considered when you plan want to pursue your undergraduate study in the USA. And the best way to observe the campus culture is to visit the campus personally and determine which one is ideal for you.