Most Americans know the Ivy League is a highly regarded consortium of the nation’s most prestigious universities. However, many do not know the storied history that brought these eight private research universities together. The Ivy League officially refers to a collegiate athletic conference containing Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. These schools were the first in the nation to hold athletic competitions amongst themselves, pioneering the sports league system that many of us take for granted as ubiquitous across higher education.

Why Are These Universities Called the ‘Ivy League’?

The term “Ivy” derives from the traditional practice of “planting the ivy” at elite institutions in the Northeast. The green vines of the ivy plant can be seen adorning buildings and adding an air of secrecy across the Ivy League. While it started as a colloquial term to refer to the oldest universities in the nation, the Ivy League became an official entity in 1954 when all eight schools established academic, athletic, and financial standards governing intercollegiate athletics. 

Meet the Ivy League Schools

So, without further ado, let’s meet the eight world-renowned universities that form the formidable Ivy League consortium:

Brown University

If the Ivy League were a family, Brown University would be the cool, free-spirited older sister of the bunch (hat tip to Conan O’Brien!). With its open curriculum, history of student activism, and focus on the humanities, Brown offers a refreshing alternative to the stuffy austerity of its Ivy League counterparts. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown’s campus is smack dab in the middle of a lively historic district famed for its shopping, tourist attractions, and rich history that stretches back to the seventeenth century. But don’t let this charming reputation fool you. Brown is one of the most highly selective colleges in the world. For admission to the Class of 2028, only 5.4% of applicants were accepted. They may tend toward the countercultural, but Brown’s student body is anything but slack-off. If you seek the freedom to shape your academic journey according to your interests and passions, Brown is the place for you!

Columbia University

Some Ivy Leagues form close-knit communities on campus, while others draw upon the lively culture of their cities to supplement student life. Columbia falls into the latter camp, as its location in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan means it is right in the center of the universe for all intents and purposes. With over 36,000 students, including roughly 25,000 postgraduates, Columbia boasts the largest student body within the Ivy League. In many ways, these students get the best of both worlds when it comes to their education: all of the trappings of a prestigious research university full of traditions, resources, and opportunities paired with the glamor and excitement of a fast-paced New York City lifestyle. The students at nearby Barnard College are also a part of this community, as they share a broad affiliation with Columbia and can cross-register for nearly all classes. 3.85% of applicants were admitted to the Class of 2028.

Cornell University

Founded in 1865, Cornell is the only Ivy League university that does not pre-date the United States itself. Its founding caused a revolution in American higher education: it was one of the country’s first co-educational and nonsectarian schools and the first within the Ivy League. Today, Cornell is known for its publicly-funded College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, its Veterinary Medicine College, and the School of Hotel Administration. While other Ivy League schools take a strictly liberal arts approach to academics, Cornell seeks to educate pragmatically, meeting societal needs with incredible programs that serve the public good while maintaining the exclusivity that its Ivy League status warrants. Even though its 8.4% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 makes it one of the less selective schools in the Ivy League, it is still far and away one of the most selective schools in the nation.  

Dartmouth College

“It is, Sir, as I have said, a small college, and yet, there are those who love it,” said Daniel Webster. Dartmouth College is the smallest, coziest, and most outdoorsy of the Ivy League institutions. Due to its location in the rolling, forested hills of New Hampshire and extensive history of student traditions and activities, Dartmouth draws a diverse array of students who share a love of old-school collegiate camaraderie, those who seek the kind of bonds that can only form in relative isolation from the rest of the world. The Dartmouth of yesteryear was famed for its original status as a school for the education of Native Americans and the origin institution of the Rassias Method of language acquisition. The Dartmouth of today is famed for its extensive campus social life organized around Greek and affinity housing options, its formidable athletics program that has produced many an Olympic champion, and its 5.4% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028.

Harvard University

Returning to the family analogy for the Ivy League, consider Harvard the patriarch (or matriarch!). As the oldest, most financially prosperous, and arguably most prestigious university in the nation, Harvard is typically considered the pride and joy of American higher education. Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1636, Harvard has had a centuries-long reputation of academic excellence and, at times, downright elitism. While the infamous final club party scene and exclusivity of such organizations as the Hasty Pudding Club and The Harvard Lampoon tend to dominate popular imagination about Harvard, students today are more likely to gush over the abundant resources, programs, grants, and networking opportunities that set Harvard apart from its peers and cause its students to go above and beyond. Unsurprisingly, acceptance into Harvard is no walk in the park — only 3.6% were admitted to the Class of 2028!

Princeton University

Free from the perpetual rivalry of Harvard vs. Yale, Princeton has forged its own legacy of astonishing exclusivity, academic renown, and highly driven students. As the nation’s fourth-oldest institution of higher learning, this Princeton, New Jersey, school has a cherished history stretching back centuries. Today, Princeton boasts the highest spending-per-student in the world and a reputation for setting the bar high for American higher education. Princeton’s athletics program holds the most titles within the Ivy League. High schoolers seeking admission to Princeton should be well-versed in the many opportunities available to current students. Princeton will not waste slots on students who won’t take advantage of their time there once on campus. Case in point: only 4.5% of applicants were accepted into the Class of 2027, a rate which we predict will be even lower when data from this admissions cycle is published!

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania has a bit of everything: a robust liberal arts curriculum and undergraduate schools that focus on pre-professional education. It is a bustling campus in the heart of West Philadelphia, with plenty of green space for nature lovers to roam. Penn houses a thriving party scene for students from all walks of life bolstered by a long and winding history of tolerance characterized by the virtuous curiosity of founder Benjamin Franklin (yes, that Benjamin Franklin). Many today know Penn as the place housing the Wharton School of Business, widely regarded as the best business school in the world. With nearly 25,000 students who call this vibrant campus home, it’s no wonder that Penn’s party scene is as good as students say it is (particularly its LGBTQ+ students, who have long found Penn to be a welcoming home). In the last admissions cycle, a slim 5.8% of applicants made it through the Ivy gates, a figure that punctuates years of steady decline in the acceptance rate.

Yale University

Vying for the title of top dog in the Ivy League kennel, Yale University is the most civically-minded of the Ivies. Home to the highly prestigious Yale Law School and a bevy of secret societies that make even the Harvard social scene look like a collection of dive bars, Yale takes the cake when it comes to Ivy League exclusivity and noblesse oblige. With a history dating back to 1701, Yale is the third-oldest university in the nation. Walking down the streets of its New Haven, Connecticut campus, you wouldn’t be surprised it lays claim to such a shining history at the forefront of the pursuit of knowledge. Its Gothic Revival-style campus is peppered with many buildings dating back to the eighteenth century. The Yale of 2024 is perhaps the most academically distinguished of the Ivies, accounting for its 4.5% acceptance rate to the Class of 2028.

Prestigious Universities Outside of the Ivy League

Ivy League schools aren’t the only American institutions of higher education that can lay claim to rich histories, legacies of prestige, and highly successful alumni. Here are a few honorable mentions:

Stanford University

Stanford University is an Ivy League school for the 21st century. With a reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship that arguably succeeds that of its Ivy League counterparts, Stanford is not only one of the most selective schools on this list but regularly spars with Harvard and Yale for the top students in the nation — many of whom choose to enroll at Stanford!

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Located just outside of Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT is widely regarded as the best place for budding minds interested in STEM to attend, and its history of incubating some of the top tech start-ups in the country certainly supports this legacy! MIT ranks #2 on the US News list of top universities nationwide.

Duke University

Duke has everything the Ivies have — a rich history, colossal endowment, close-knit alumni network, and more — but its location in Durham, North Carolina, gives it a southern charm that the rest of the schools on this list could only dream of possessing. Duke alumni form a passionate and engaged network that provides a community for life.

California Institute of Technology

Caltech is, quite literally, the most exclusive college in the nation. For admission to the Class of 2026, only 2.7% of applicants earned the distinction of admission. This is far lower than even Harvard! Why is this school so sought after? Because of its highly rigorous curriculum and legacy of innovation!

University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is the black sheep of higher education. Quirky and highly pedantic but still incredibly prestigious and selective, UChicago is famed for its beautiful Gothic campus in the heart of its namesake and for an application supplement that tends to ask some unorthodox questions.

Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins has been a pioneer in American higher education since it was established in 1876 as the first American school to adopt the German research university model. JHU has since made waves for phasing out legacy status, becoming genuinely need-blind (when so many schools lie about being need-aware!), and advancing research in the Social Sciences.

Northwestern University

Think of Northwestern University as the “school next door” of higher education. Its students and alumni are friendly, social, incredibly smart, and deeply diverse, having distinguished themselves in all major industries. But don’t let its charm fool you. This highly selective school’s alumni dominate certain industries like theater and journalism.

Are these the only schools worth your consideration? Of course not! But we’d be here all day listing every highly selective school. Some notable names that haven’t made this list include Carnegie Mellon University, Vanderbilt University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Berkeley, and Rice University.