In American higher education, the Ivy League is the gold standard all colleges seek to live up to. However, as bouts of campus turmoil and horrendous PR continue to rock America’s faith in the Ivy League, other schools are angling to emerge into the space left by these faltering institutions. The “Little Ivies,” an informal term for a collection of private liberal arts colleges in the Northeastern U.S., are steadily rising to fill this void. These schools, comparable to the Ivy League in terms of prestige, academics, culture, and history, offer an unparalleled community, professors who care about teaching their courses with care and attention, highly unique campus cultures filled with specific traditions and activities, and, more often than not, slightly higher acceptance rates than comparable research universities. 

We at Ivy Coach have long touted the benefits of a liberal arts education, and we only wish more families out there would embrace this time-honored educational tradition, but we also acknowledge that the close-knit, small community vibe of most liberal arts colleges isn’t necessarily for everyone. Read on to discover more about the Little Ivies that have defined the liberal arts tradition for centuries. 

And remember, this list is far from exhaustive! Check out our breakdown of the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the nation for a more comprehensive review of all of the potential Little Ivies waiting to be discovered.

Who Are The Little Ivies?

“The Little Three”

Perhaps the most iconic of the Little Ivies are the “Little Three,” a term used to refer to Amherst College, Williams College, and Wesleyan University. These three New England-based liberal arts colleges are arguably the best in the nation. They share an athletic conference and a shared culture of academic achievement and communion with nature. Wesleyan happens to be the biggest of these schools and the only one with a “university” moniker, but rest assured that all three are ideal choices for any academically ambitious student who yearns for a smaller academic community free from the hustle and bustle of a major city.

“The Maine Big Three”

Coming up next in our selection of Little Ivies is what’s affectionately known as the Main Big Three, or the consortium of Colby College, Bates College, and Bowdoin College. These Maine mainstays also form an athletic conference like the Little Three and draw comparisons to the Ivy League Big Three, or Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Some of our readers may recall that the Maine Big Three were featured on a famous episode of The Sopranos, in which Meadow toured each of them while her dad got up to no good during a family visit to Maine. 

Unlike the Ivy League, the Little Ivies Are a Revolving Door!

Other small liberal arts schools that sometimes get the moniker “Little Ivy” include Swarthmore College, Hamilton College, Union College, Trinity College, Connecticut College, Vassar College, and Middlebury College. But remember, this list is informal and constantly evolving. While the Ivy League is closed off to members (like the Bellas in Pitch Perfect 2), the Little Ivies are always on the market for new members. 

Who knows? In a few years, the likes of Pomona College, Reed College, Grinnell College, or Rollins College could rise in the ranks of public esteem and finally count themselves among the Amhersts and Bowdoins of the world. The Ivy League is certainly setting no example right now for how to lead the field of higher education, so someone has got to rise to the occasion!

Ivy Coach’s Assistance With Little Ivy Admission

Ivy Coach is here to help you or your child ensure that only the best schools are on the table during your admissions journey. We have helped many of our students get into the Little Ivies over the years by applying the expertise of our team of former elite college admissions officers, who know what distinguishes the students who get in from those who are served up rejection letters.

If you would like our help in optimizing your child’s odds of admission to the school of their dreams, fill out our complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch.