Universities under the Public Ivy League category take distinctions as some of the most highly ranked schools. Follow along to learn more about these excellent schools!
Public Ivy League Schools refer to any public school that provides Ivy-League level educational programs. If the Ivy Leagues form the peak US education, then these schools make up the surrounding mountains! Notably, they cost less and have a larger student body.
The original list of the Public Ivies comes from Duke University professor, Richard Moll, who also coined the term in 1985. Since then, other schools have been considered comparable by ranking as well, as they could be any school on the level of an Ivy League. These schools can be found all over the country while Ivy League schools exist only in the Northeast US.
Schools that compare to Ivies have unique factors that make them stand above the other schools in the country. They are typically large schools with thousands of students and competitive tuition, and plenty of scholarship opportunities - unlike private Ivy League Schools.
Here’s a list of each Public Ivy school as ranked by U.S. News. We’ve included acceptance rates and the size of the incoming class to help you understand the competitiveness of each school.
Now that you have a better understanding of the schools and what they're ranked, we'll cover if you should apply to them.
Yes, you should apply to Public Ivy Schools so long as their programs align with your professional goals! However, there are a few things to keep in mind when applying. At the bare minimum, you should meet the average student GPA and have a well-rounded application. Here are a few components to keep in mind:
Colleges pay attention to your extracurriculars, what AP classes you've taken, and what other achievements you have as a student, including a great GPA. So, ensure you have a competitive application for your target and backup schools!
Money may become a significant factor in college, as prices for things like tuition and books have increased. That said, these top public schools aren’t known for being particularly inexpensive, but they are an excellent mid-range price option for students looking for a fantastic program without the Ivy League price tag.
Here are some of the more commonly asked questions regarding schools that compare to Ivies.
Ivy-level education is not contained to the eight historic institutions. You can find comparable programs at the following schools:
Schools on the Public Ivy list offer some of the best education opportunities at a lower cost for students in the United States and abroad. If you qualify and are interested in their programs, do not hesitate to apply!
If you're looking for an excellent potential backup school or don't want to stray far from home when going to college, consider applying to your local Ivy-adjacent school. While larger and less prestigious, these schools offer some of the best educational opportunities across the US.
Good luck with your application!
