Which Ivy League University Is Best For You?

IVY LEAGUE

Lots of people think, any Ivy League school will do.  However, each one is different and while many thrive in all areas of academics, athletics and social life, some distinct differences such as size, location, amount of school spirit, social reputation and specialty areas may make one shine brighter than the rest for you.

We have broken down important lifestyle and academic factors into several categories, to compare the Ivy League schools and ultimately to help you figure out which is the right one for you to pursue your Ivy League dream.  Here are some brief stereotypes and easy ways of categorizing the Ivies.

 

Harvard: The top of most people’s lists for obvious reasons.  It’s well rounded, high reaching on almost every level, and the first name we all think of when we think of an Ivy League school.  Harvard also has a huge graduate school population, which leaves it open as a viable graduate school option.  Students of Harvard study hard during the week, but let loose on the weekends, and can be fairly social for overachievers.  The location is well liked by students, as there is much going on in Boston, the university capital of America.  Harvard’s close proximity to MIT, Boston College, University of Boston, Brandeis, Tufts and Northeastern (All ranked within the top 50) grants students with much opportunity to socialize with other students who share their city.  Harvard also has the best sports teams and most attendees to games of the Ivy League.  Harvard needs no nickname, since its name has come to speak for itself.

Harvard is ranked nationally #1 by USNews in Business, Medicine, Biological Sciences, Economics, and Political Science.  It is ranked globally #1 by USNews in Biology and Biochemistry, Clinical Medicine, Economics and Business, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Neuroscience and Behavior, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Psychiatry/Psychology, and Social Sciences and Public Health.

 

Princeton: Much smaller than Harvard and in a much less advantageous location, Princeton still excels in most academic areas. More focus on social science, less focus on social life – oddly enough.  Princeton may be dubbed ‘The Philosophical Ivy’ for its prominence in all things social science, as philosophy is the root of these. Princeton has the best on campus housing and dining of the Ivy League, with the most need-based financial support for students.  There is not much opportunity for graduate study here as the graduate school population is quite small.  Princeton comes in third as having the best sports teams of the Ivies.

Princeton is ranked nationally #1 by USNews in undergraduate teaching, Economics, History, Math and Sociology.

 

Yale: Just as great as Harvard and Princeton on many levels, but with more expertise in law, music and the arts.  Therefore, ‘The Creative Ivy’ would be an appropriate nickname.  However, Yale also has among the least diversity of the Ivy League, the least drug use, and the biggest obsession with hygiene and health.  But with their lack of Greek life and social shenanigans come their popular ‘eating clubs’ and secret societies.  Yale also has the second best sports teams of all the Ivies.

Yale is ranked nationally #1 by USNews for Law School, Fine Arts, and History.

 

Columbia: More social life than the above, but also a lot more disconnected, Columbia embodies a distracted sense of community, due to its complex yet exciting location.  It feels right to nickname Columbia ‘The NYC Ivy’. While academics are just as good as the other tops on many levels, Columbia thrives more in its opportunity for extracurriculars and its location. Columbia also sports the highest tuition of the Ivy League.  Columbia does not excel in most sports, and provides the smallest dorms, compared to the other ivies.  However, there is more opportunity for Greek life here than Yale, Princeton or Harvard. Columbia is well known for its graduate journalism program and law school, as well as its prominence in the social sciences.  Columbia, like Harvard has a large proportion of graduate students, giving it longevity as an academic pursuit.

 

UPenn: Commonly called ‘The Social Ivy’.  Students from here often attend its top business school, and are active in Greek Life.  Many reports suggest students from here have a rich social life, love to party and still achieve excellent grades while they do so.  Students from here also focus more on extracurriculars and volunteering.  Campus food here is notorious as the worst of the Ivies, but luckily Philadelphia provides eateries just a quick ride away.

UPenn is ranked nationally #1 by USNews for best Undergraduate Business Program, Business School, and Nursing.

 

Dartmouth:  With its rural location Dartmouth is the most isolated of the Ivy League.  Since there is not much to do aside from campus activities roughly 50% of undergrads participate in Greek Life, meaning, there is a LOT of drinking going on here (Drug safety is also noted as the worst of the Ivies).  While Dartmouth also touts the best undergraduate teaching of all of the ivies, they also have a very low diversity rate. The business program is pretty popular here, but is not nearly as good as Harvard or UPenn.  It feels fair to dub Dartmouth ‘The Rural Ivy’.

 

Cornell: As one of the biggest ivies, one would expect more diversity here, but Cornell is surprisingly homogeneous.  Its location in rural Ithaca may be the culprit.  With its many specialty schools, such as its undergraduate programs in Architecture, Hotel Administration, and Agriculture, Cornell may stand out as favorite Ivy for academically diverse applicants.  Since it is a larger school, there is more opportunity for social life, but there is less in the way of involvement outside school, as Ithaca is a very small, relatively isolated city.  With Cornell’s academic focus on environment, I reckon an appropriate nickname is ‘The Grounded Ivy’.

Cornell is ranked nationally #1 by USNews for Veterinary Medicine and ranked globally #1 by USNews for Plant and Animal Science.

 

Brown: Brown is the least funded, and the most independent of the Ivy League, leaving it open to the most eccentric, diverse and unique applicants.  Whether it’s their diverse range of sports teams, high rate of minorities and liberal ideologies in other regards, Brown is the least preppy of the ivies and the most inclusive.  While facilities at other schools may be newer or more advanced, Brown’s focus is more on different types of perks revolving around acceptance and can be dubbed ‘The Hippy Ivy’, since many students are said to enjoy smoking medical marijuana.  But don’t worry, peer pressure is not a thing here.  Brown has many of the same resources as the schools above, but are less pressured by their environment.  The work hard and take time to relax and be social, and are the most interested in exploring the world and people with open eyes.

The green table below shows grades attributed by students and alumni of each school provided by niche.com.The blue table represents gathered rankings in terms of lifestyle, diversity and Greek life, as well as population and student to faculty ratio.For Lifestyle 1= most extroverted and 8 = most introverted.  For Diversity and Greek Life, 1 = most and 8 = least.

Ivy League Niche Stats

Ivy League Niche Stats

Ivy League Stats

Ivy League Stats

A graduate from Columbia University and a native New Yorker, Nico is now in Melbourne helping students here to realize their American college dream. Her understanding of U.S. higher education and experience in the Ivy League will guide you through both the SAT exam and the entire admission process.

Be first to comment


+ six = 12