Emory University

Emory University is a private institution that was founded in 1836. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,836, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 630 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Emory University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 21. Its tuition and fees are $45,008 (2014-15).

Emory University is located in the suburb of Druid Hills near downtown Atlanta. First- and second-year students are required to live on campus, but a majority of students choose to remain on campus for all four years. The Student Programming Council organizes events and performances throughout the year and has brought entertainers and musicians such as Tracy Morgan, Sean Kingston and Guster to campus in past years. A popular organization among students is Volunteer Emory, which oversees community service activities. The Emory Eagles have nearly 20 NCAA Division III varsity teams and are well known for their successful swimming and diving team. In addition to varsity athletics, all students are required to take two courses in physical education. There is a thriving Greek community at Emory with a number of fraternity and sorority chapters.

Emory is divided into nine schools and colleges, four of which serve undergraduates and graduates. Emory’s graduate programs include the highly ranked Goizueta Business School, School of Law, School of Medicine, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and Rollins School of Public Health. "Dooley’s Week," a tradition that takes place every year, is named for Dooley, a skeleton and "Lord of Misrule" who remains steeped in Emory legend. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, physician and CNN chief health correspondent Sanjay Gupta and activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu have all taught at Emory.

Emory University is known for demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate education in the arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research. Emory encourages students to become fully engaged in the classroom and beyond and to create their own learning experiences, with top faculty committed to teaching and fostering undergraduate research in the sciences and humanities.

We have a diverse student body from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and over 100 countries/ territories. Our students and faculty enjoy affiliations with and access to some of the most revered institutions in the world, including Yerkes National Primate Research Center, The Carter Center and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our student-athletes are among the best in NCAA Division III sports, having recently won championships in Swimming & Diving and Tennis. Nationally competitive awards and honors recognizing Emory students include the Fullbright Fellowship, Goldwater Scholarship, Luce Scholar, Marshall Scholarship, National Science Foundation Fellowship, NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, and Rhodes Scholarship.

At Emory, students have four primary options for their undergraduate education. Entering freshmen can apply to Emory College, which offers a liberal arts education within the heart of a major research university. Students also can apply to Oxford College where they spend the first two years on Emory's original campus 38 miles east of Atlanta, transferring in their junior year to the Atlanta campus. Oxford and Emory College students can apply for junior year admission to the renowned Goizueta Business School to earn a bachelor of business administration. They can apply also to the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, one of the nation's top private nursing schools. As Emory College juniors, students can choose from 71 majors, including 15 interdisciplinary programs, and from more than 57 minors.

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University of California--Berkeley

University of California--Berkeley is a public institution that was founded in 1868. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 25,951, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,232 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of California--Berkeley's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 20. Its in-state tuition and fees are $13,844 (2014-15); out-of-state tuition and fees are $25,064 (2014-15).

The University of California—Berkeley, often referred to as Cal, is situated overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Berkeley guarantees two years of housing for incoming freshmen in a number of residence halls throughout campus. There are more than 1,200 student organizations on campus, ranging from political groups to a hang gliding club and everything in between. Berkeley also has a thriving Greek life with more than 55 fraternity and sorority chapters. The California Golden Bears, Berkeley’s athletic teams, compete in the Pac-12 Conference and are known for their traditional arch rivalry with Stanford.

Berkeley is comprised of 14 schools and colleges, including a number of graduate and professional schools such as the School of Optometry, Graduate School of Journalism and College of Environmental Design. Other graduate programs are the highly ranked Haas School of Business, Graduate School of Education, College of Engineering, School of Law, School of Social Welfare, School of Public Health and Goldman School of Public Policy. Berkeley is well known as a hub of liberal student activity: the Free Speech Movement—a 1964 student protest at Berkeley in response to the administration’s attempt to remove student political groups from campus—gained widespread national attention. Distinguished alumni include former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley and actor John Cho of the "Harold and Kumar" films. Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project during WWII to develop the atomic bomb, was a physicist and professor at Berkeley.

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Rice University

Rice University is a private institution that was founded in 1912. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,965, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 285 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Rice University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 19. Its tuition and fees are $40,566 (2014-15).

Rice University, located in the heart of Houston’s Museum District, offers a dynamic student life in the nation’s fourth-largest city. The Rice Coffeehouse, Valhalla Pub and Willy’s Pub are all student-run institutions offering on-campus food and drink. Before stepping foot on campus, all students are assigned to one of 11 residential colleges, of which they remain members even if they decide to move off campus. The residential colleges provide housing, dining, and academic and social events. The Rice Owls boast 14 varsity NCAA Division I athletic teams and are well known for their strong baseball program. Students receive free tickets to all varsity athletic events.

Rice is comprised of eight schools, including the School of Social Sciences, School of Humanities and Wiess School of Natural Sciences. Its graduate schools include the highly ranked Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business and George R. Brown School of Engineering. Rice also has a well-regarded School of Architecture and the Shepherd School of Music. Rice is home to the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, a nonpartisan think tank, which offers coursework, internships and lectures. When a private detective found Rice’s stolen owl mascot at rival school Texas A&M in 1917, he sent a coded message back to Rice students letting them know that "Sammy" was OK, thus bestowing a name on the school’s mascot.

As a leading research university with a distinctive commitment to undergraduate education, Rice University aspires to pathbreaking research, unsurpassed teaching and contributions to the betterment of our world. It seeks to fulfill this mission by cultivating a diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders across the spectrum of human endeavor. Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, undergraduate education has remained at the center of Rice University's mission since its founding in 1912. Our students have unparalleled opportunities to learn from distinguished faculty through classroom interaction and research collaboration. Rice combines the advantages of a liberal arts college with the resources and facilities of a premier research university. Some of the important engineering and science developments include Rice being the first university in the nation with a department wholly dedicated to space science; Rice researchers joining Dr. Michael Debakey and his Baylor College of Medicine team to produce the first artificial heart; and Rice professors Robert Curl and Richard Smalley and British chemist Sir Harold Kroto receiving the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery of buckyballs, which introduced the new field of nanotechnology. In addition to engineering, Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. The distinctive residential college system enhances the Rice experience by allowing students to flourish as individuals in a community of their peers. Rice boasts a 6:1 undergraduate student-faculty ratio, a median class size of 14, an endowment of $4.84 billion and numerous opportunities for undergraduates to conduct primary research. Rice practices need-blind admission, meets 100 percent of students' demonstrated need and is consistently heralded as one of the best values in higher education. Rice is surrounded by the Texas Medical Center, the Museum District, Hermann Park, Rice Village and great restaurants, and is a short light-rail ride away from theater, symphony, ballet, opera and major league sports.

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Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a private institution that was founded in 1873. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,835, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 333 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Vanderbilt University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 16. Its tuition and fees are $43,838 (2014-15).

Vanderbilt University offers a wide range of student activities. Located in Nashville, or Music City, there are plenty of off-campus options for dining, shopping, music and entertainment. On campus, Greek organizations play a big role in social life, with approximately 40 percent of students affiliated with Greek life. All undergraduate students at Vanderbilt are required to live on campus, and freshmen live together in The Commons, which has six LEED certified green dorms. The Commodores, named for Vanderbilt founder "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, have teams in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference. About 35 percent of students take advantage of Vanderbilt’s study abroad programs, which are offered in more than 35 countries.

Vanderbilt is comprised of 10 schools and colleges covering disciplines from the humanities to music to engineering. Among its graduate programs are the top-ranked Peabody College of Education and Human Development, which also offers undergraduate programs, and the highly ranked Owen Graduate School of Management, School of Engineering, Law School, School of Medicine and School of Nursing. Vanderbilt is also well known for its undergraduate Blair School of Music, and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center is ranked one of the best in the nation. Former chairman and CEO of Time Inc. Ann Moore, NFL quarterback Jay Cutler and novelist James Patterson all received degrees from Vanderbilt.

Comprised of four undergraduate schools and six graduate programs, Vanderbilt University offers students a world-class liberal arts education that includes both a high level of intellectual engagement and myriad extracurricular and research opportunities. Vanderbilt students -- who hail from across the country and the world -- speak often about maintaining an excellent balance between academic challenge and campus involvement. With 350+ student-led organizations, mirroring the diverse array of opinions and backgrounds represented at Vanderbilt, campus is always buzzing with activity. From Greek life to religious organizations and everything in between, there is never a shortage of opportunities to get involved. Designed to foster a sense of community for first-year students making the transition to college, The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons offers a living-learning residential experience, and has often been cited as a key source of friendship and camaraderie among our students, who keep in touch well after that crucial freshman year. Seven of The Ingram Commons buildings have been LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, making it one of the largest collections of LEED-certified buildings planned on a single campus in the Southeastern United States. Moreover, Vanderbilt Visions enhances The Ingram Commons by facilitating conversations about the college experience among first-year students, peer mentors, and faculty advisers. Vanderbilt's study abroad program offers more than 100 direct-credit programs in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, China, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, and Spain, among others. Service is also important to Vanderbilt students, who engage with the local and global community through a large number of volunteer programs and organizations such as Alternative Spring Break, which was founded at Vanderbilt and has since become a staple at many other universities. Well-known speakers and musical acts always draw a crowd on campus through the popular Rites of Spring festival, which takes place on Alumni Lawn, as well as IMPACT, Commodore Quake and other events conceived of and executed almost entirely by students. Indeed, Vanderbilt's location in Midtown Nashville, in the heart of Music City, provides something for everyone: a rich supply of music from every conceivable genre, and an abundance of restaurants, theaters, shops, museums, and coffee shops, all within walking distance of campus. Outside Nashville, the state of Tennessee is home to the Great Smoky Mountains and state parks featuring beautiful lakes and prime hiking trails. Regarding financial aid, Vanderbilt practices a need-blind policy for all U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens, and promises to meet 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students. Students' need-based aid includes a combination of grant monies and federal work-study funding and does not include loans. Additionally, the university offers merit aid to approximately 3% of applying students. The three signature merit programs -- the Ingram Scholarship Program, Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship Program, and Chancellor's Scholarship Program -- require a separate application and each award includes full tuition plus a summer stipend. 

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University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame is a private institution that was founded in 1842. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,477, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,250 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Notre Dame's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 16. Its tuition and fees are $46,237 (2014-15).

Notre Dame is located in South Bend, Ind., just 100 miles outside of Chicago. Only freshmen are required to live on campus, but most students choose to remain on campus in one of the 29 single-sex residence halls. The halls serve as the centers of social life at Notre Dame, as there is no Greek life on campus. Legends, an on-campus restaurant and pub, is a popular spot for watching sporting events. The Notre Dame "Fighting Irish" boast more than 25 varsity NCAA Division I athletic teams and are well known for their consistently strong football program. Over half of students study abroad for at least one semester.

Notre Dame is divided into eight schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Arts and Letters. Notre Dame’s graduate and professional programs include the highly ranked Mendoza College of Business and Law School in addition to a well-regarded School of Architecture, which offers undergraduate and graduate programs. Notable alumni include former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, talk-show host Regis Philbin and Hall of Fame football player Joe Montana. The 1993 film "Rudy," ranked one of the top 25 sports movies of the past 25 years by ESPN, was filmed on Notre Dame’s campus and depicts the true story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who overcame many obstacles to play football at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame offers undergraduate students an educational experience that is second to none in quality and, at the same time, distinctly Catholic. Faith informs learning at Notre Dame, and the University's students are urged to turn their learning to the service of others. The community life of the highly residential campus is distinctive, but Notre Dame also ranks in the top 10 in the percentage of its students who study abroad. Its graduation rate is among the top 5 in the country and its alumni are celebrated for their loyalty.

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Brown University

Brown University is a private institution that was founded in 1764. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,455 and the campus size is 146 acres. Brown University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 16. Its tuition and fees are $47,434 (2014-15).

Located atop College Hill in Providence, R.I., Brown University has a college-town feel with Thayer Street serving as a center of activity for shopping and dining. The Brown Bears have about 35 NCAA Division I athletic teams and compete in the Ivy League. The Bears are well known for their men’s soccer team, which consistently ranks among the top 25 teams in the nation. All students at Brown are required to live on campus for their first six semesters, and housing options include traditional singles, doubles and suites. With around 400 student organizations on campus ranging from The Brown Jug comedy magazine to Brown Ballroom Dance, students can find a way to pursue their interests. Brown also has a small but vibrant Greek community with approximately 10 chapters, including a few co-ed Greek organizations.

Brown offers a number of a graduate studies through its Graduate School, which offers well-regarded programs in English and history, and the highly ranked Warren Alpert Medical School. The center section of the Van Wickle Gates on Brown’s campus opens only twice a year: once to let incoming students onto campus and once to let recent graduates exit after commencement. Brown hosts an annual celebratory "Spring Weekend" with athletic events, concerts and free food. Notable alumni include John D. Rockefeller Jr., John F. Kennedy Jr. and CNN founder and media mogul Ted Turner.

Brown is the only major research university in the nation where undergraduates are the architects of their own course of study. The University's signature academic program for undergraduates encourages intellectual exploration and risk taking and fosters rigorous multidisciplinary study in more than 70 concentrations, ranging from Egyptology to Cognitive Neuroscience. Its unique, highly competitive program in Liberal Medical Education provides the opportunity to receive an undergraduate degree and a medical degree in an eight-year continuum. Its School of Engineering prepares students for careers that will make a difference by seeking solutions to current problems that challenge our society. Brown is frequently recognized for its global reach, many cultural events, numerous campus groups and activities, active community service programs, highly competitive athletics, and beautiful facilities located in a richly historic urban setting. Brown students are distinguished by their academic excellence, creativity, self-direction, leadership, and collaborative style of learning, while Brown's outstanding faculty is known for its singular dedication to teaching and research.

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Cornell University

Cornell University is a private institution that was founded in 1865. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,393, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 745 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Cornell University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 15. Its tuition and fees are $47,286 (2014-15).

Cornell University, located in Ithaca, N.Y., has more than 500 student organizations on campus, which range from the Big Red Marching Band to the International Affairs Society. First-year students live together on north campus, and the university has housing options for upperclassmen and graduate students, though many choose to live off campus. Cornell has a thriving Greek life, with around 70 total fraternity and sorority chapters. Cornell has more than 30 NCAA Division I varsity teams that compete in the Ivy League. The Cornell Big Red are perhaps best known for their successful men’s lacrosse team, which won seven consecutive Ivy League titles from 2003 to 2009. Cornell also has a strong hockey program.

Cornell’s 14 colleges and schools each admit their own students and provide their own faculty, even though every graduate receives a degree from Cornell University. Cornell’s two largest undergraduate colleges are the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Its graduate schools include the highly ranked S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management, College of Engineering, Law School, Weill Cornell Medical College and a well-regarded program in education. Cornell is also well known for its top-ranked College of Veterinary Medicine and the highly esteemed School of Hotel Administration. One of Cornell’s oldest traditions is Dragon Day, during which a dragon built by first-year architecture students is paraded through campus and then burned during a bonfire celebrating the coming of spring. Notable alumni include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, author E.B. White and Bill Nye, the "Science Guy."

Cornell University was founded in 1865 as a coeducational, nonsectarian institution where "any person can find instruction in any study."

Once dubbed "the first American university" in recognition of the revolutionary principles on which it was founded, Cornell continues to push the limits of its founder's vision. Renowned for its distinctive mix of eminent scholarship, academic rigor and commitment to public service, it attracts more than 20,000 students from every state in the Union and more than 120 countries. They learn from a world-class faculty teaching more than 4,000 courses and participate in cutting-edge research in 11 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools on the uniquely beautiful Ithaca campus, at Cornell's medical college campuses in New York City and Qatar, and in affiliated programs around the world.

Cornell???s breadth of study, ranging from legendary programs in the humanities to world-class interdisciplinary research centers in nanotechnology, biotechnology, supercomputing and genomics, sets it apart from its Ivy League peers. As the land-grant university of New York State, Cornell also boasts the nation's first colleges devoted to hotel administration, industrial and labor relations, and veterinary medicine. In 2011, Cornell was awarded the opportunity to create a new graduate school for information technology in New York City. Cornell NYC Tech is training the student entrepreneurs who will drive the 21st century???s digital transformation of publishing, advertising, news and information, and entertainment.

In recent years, Cornell has been aggressively expanding its international programs - from the establishment, in 2001, of the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, the first American medical school outside of the United States, to the forging of partnerships and collaborations with major institutions in China, India, and Singapore - further supporting Cornell's status as the transnational university of the future.

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Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis is a private institution that was founded in 1853. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,336, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 169 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Washington University in St. Louis's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 14. Its tuition and fees are $46,467 (2014-15).

Washington University in St. Louis is located in a city that offers professional sports in football, baseball and hockey in addition to a wide range of options for dining and entertainment. The Wash U Bears are members of the NCAA Division III University Athletic Association. Freshmen are required to live on campus in one of the residence houses. After freshman year, students can choose to live in suite-style housing, on-campus apartments, fraternity houses or off-campus apartments and homes. Approximately 25 percent of students are affiliated with Greek life at Wash U.

Wash U is divided four schools that serve undergraduate and graduate students and four graduate schools. Among Wash U’s graduate programs are the top-ranked George Warren Brown School of Social Work, the highly ranked Olin Business School, School of Law, School of Medicine, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, School of Engineering and Applied Science and a graduate program in education. The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum on Wash U’s campus houses one of the most distinguished university collections in the country, including works from Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock. Actor Peter Sarsgaard graduated from Wash U, as did former FBI Director William H. Webster. Wash U’s Barnes-Jewish Hospital is one of the top-ranked hospitals in the country.

Washington University in St. Louis is a research university that offers a unique environment for undergraduate students to learn and grow. Unparalleled curriculum flexibility and learning opportunities in a friendly and supportive community inspire undergraduates to explore their interests and develop new ones. Working with their advisors, undergraduates may choose a traditional single major, as many do. Others combine majors with minors, second majors, and pre-professional programs -- all within their four-year undergraduate experience. We encourage our students to participate in internships, study abroad programs, research and scholarship, and over 300 clubs and organizations, rounding out Washington University's commitment to help each student identify and pursue his or her passion. Our students pursue their passions every day. Visit campus and ask them about their experiences.

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Northwestern University

Northwestern University is a private institution that was founded in 1851. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,688, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 231 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. Northwestern University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 13. Its tuition and fees are $47,251 (2014-15).

What began as farmland and swampland in the 1850s became the Northwestern campus and the city of Evanston, Ill. Northwestern University is a Division I school in the Big Ten athletic conference. Northwestern's women's lacrosse team has won multiple NCAA national championships. The school has hundreds of campus organizations fulfill students' varied interests. Freshmen are guaranteed on-campus housing if requested in their applications. The school's 11 residential colleges offer thematic living quarters for social and academic programming. Northwestern's main campuses are located along Lake Michigan in Evanston and Chicago. In 2008, Northwestern opened a third branch in Doha, Qatar.

Of Northwestern’s dozen schools, nine offer undergraduate programs and 10 offer graduate and professional programs. Northwestern’s highly-ranked graduate schools include the Kellogg School of Management, the School of Education and Social Policy, the School of Law, the Feinberg School of Medicine, the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program. Northwestern’s Medill School is known for its strong journalism graduate program. Northwestern’s Dance Marathon, created in 1975, is one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the country and has raised more than $14 million for Chicago-area charities. Notable alumni include the 55th mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel; retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens; actor, writer and director Zach Braff; comedian Stephen Colbert; and Tony Award-winning actress Heather Headley.

Northwestern University offers unusual flexibility combined with a wide choice of academic concentrations. In addition to over seventy established majors, students can choose or design non-traditional combinations. A broad range of field experiences, internships, and programs combining work and study are part of the education for a large percentage of the students. Because Chicago is only thirty minutes away, students have the cultural advantage of the music, theatre, museums, sports, and entertainment of a world-class city to enrich their undergraduate experience.

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Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University is a private institution that was founded in 1876. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,251 and the campus size is 140 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Johns Hopkins University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 12. Its tuition and fees are $47,060 (2014-15).

Johns Hopkins University has four main campuses in and around Baltimore. The Homewood Campus, located next to the eclectic neighborhood of Charles Village, is the primary campus for undergraduates, and three other campuses house various graduate schools. Hopkins also has three additional campuses for its School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C.; Bologna, Italy; and Nanjing, China. The Hopkins Blue Jays compete in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference, but they are perhaps best known for their consistently dominant men’s lacrosse team, which competes in NCAA Division I competitions. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live in on-campus residences. There is a sizeable Greek community with a membership of more than 1,000 students.

Johns Hopkins University is divided into nine schools, five of which serve undergraduate and graduate students. Hopkins’ graduate programs include the top ranked Bloomberg School of Public Health and the highly ranked School of Education, Whiting School of Engineering, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, SAIS and the well-regarded Peabody Institute for music and dance. Johns Hopkins Hospital is the top-ranked overall hospital in the nation, with the majority of its specialties ranked in the top five. Former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson, former president of the NAACP Kweisi Mfume and businessman and the 108th Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg all received degrees from Hopkins.

Johns Hopkins students are passionate about intellectual exploration; they are eager for life in a community of similarly passionate, equally ambitious scholars and teachers. This community is based at Homewood, a serene, tree-lined 140 acre campus next to the eclectic north Baltimore neighborhood of Charles Village. Here, students partner with their mentors to push the boundaries of knowledge. Johns Hopkins exposes these independent thinkers to new tools of analysis and new perspectives on the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences and engineering. At the same time, they engage with fellow students outside the classroom in intellectual, cultural, service and recreational pursuits that greatly enrich their education. When our students graduate, they join a global alumni body of men and women who use knowledge and experience acquired at Johns Hopkins to change the world.

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Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College is a private institution that was founded in 1769. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,276, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 200 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. Dartmouth College's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 11. Its tuition and fees are $48,108 (2014-15).

Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, offers a wide range of student activities. Nearly 25 percent of students participate in Dartmouth's NCAA Division I varsity sports. More than 90 percent of students live in on-campus housing, which includes residence halls, fraternity and sorority houses, college-approved coeds and undergraduate societies. Approximately 60 percent of students are members of Greek organizations, which serve as the hubs of social life at Dartmouth. The Outing Club – the oldest and largest collegiate outing club in the country – is the most popular student organization at Dartmouth, offering outdoor activities, expeditions, gear rentals and courses.

Dartmouth College is comprised of the undergraduate arts and sciences and engineering departments and four graduate programs, which include the highly ranked Tuck School of Business, Thayer School of Engineering and Geisel School of Medicine. The Carnegie Foundation has classified Dartmouth as a university with "very high research activity." More than 50 percent of students participate in the many off-campus programs offered in more than 20 countries around the world. Distinguished Dartmouth alumni include Theodor Geisel (well known as Dr. Seuss), creator of the television show "Grey's Anatomy" Shonda Rhimes and former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner. The classic comedy film "Animal House" is loosely based on a series of stories from a fraternity at Dartmouth.

Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is one of the oldest and most respected institutions of higher learning in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Dartmouth has a long history of dedication to the highest educational ideals. With its world-class faculty and facilities, and nationally and internationally renowned graduate programs in engineering, business, medicine and the arts & sciences, the school has resources that very few universities can match. In addition, by maintaining a highly flexible quarter-system calendar, and allowing only faculty to teach its undergraduate courses, Dartmouth assures that students have complete and timely access to all that the institution has to offer. Faculty: The professors at Dartmouth are among the leaders in their fields, yet they remain fully committed to teaching. Even the most senior professors teach first-year courses. Recipients of more than $199 million in annual research grants and consistently ranked among the most respected teachers in American higher education, Dartmouth professors are true exemplars of the phrase teacher-scholar. Through course-related discussions, research collaborations, and casual conversation, students get to know their professors as instructors, mentors, colleagues, and friends. Undergraduate Students: Dartmouth students come from 50 states and more than 79 countries. The population is divided almost evenly between men and women. More than a third of the students identify themselves as students of color (34%) or non-US citizens (9%). Almost half (47%)of the students receive some form of need-based financial assistance to cover the cost of their education. Dartmouth disburses more than $91 million in need-based aid each year. Prior to Dartmouth, 55% of the students attended public secondary schools and 45% attended private or parochial schools. Once on campus, they take full advantage of the academic resources Dartmouth has to offer, and get involved in the more than 300 officially recognized organizations.

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California Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1891. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 977, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 124 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. California Institute of Technology's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 10. Its tuition and fees are $43,362 (2014-15).

Caltech, which focuses on science and engineering, is located in Pasadena, California, approximately 11 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Social and academic life at Caltech centers on the eight student houses, which the school describes as "self-governing living groups." Student houses incorporate an admired Caltech tradition: dinners served by student waiters. Only freshmen are required to live on campus, but around 80 percent of students remain in their house for all four years. The Caltech Beavers have a number of NCAA Division III teams that compete in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Integral to student life is the Honor Code, which dictates that "No member of the Caltech community shall take unfair advantage of any other member of the Caltech community."

In addition to its undergraduate studies, Caltech offers top graduate programs in engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, mathematics and physics. Caltech participates in a significant amount of research, receiving grants from institutions such as NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services, among others. Caltech maintains a strong tradition of pranking with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, another top-ranked science and technology university. Companies such as Intel, Compaq and Hotmail were founded by Caltech alumni. Famous film director Frank Capra also graduated from Caltech.

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University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania is a private institution that was founded in 1740. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 9,712, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 302 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Pennsylvania's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 8. Its tuition and fees are $47,668 (2014-15).

The University of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, was founded by Benjamin Franklin. The Penn Quakers have more than 25 NCAA Division I sports that compete in the Ivy League, and are noted for successful basketball and lacrosse teams. Penn offers housing in more than 10 College Houses, but many students live in the numerous off-campus apartments and houses available. More than 25 percent of the student body is involved in Greek life, which encompasses about 45 fraternities and sororities. The school also offers a number of clubs and organizations, ranging from performance groups like the Latin and Ballroom dance club to student publications such as the Penn Political Review. Penn works closely with the West Philadelphia area through community service and advocacy groups.

Penn has 12 schools: Four offer undergraduate and graduate studies and eight offer only graduate studies. Penn's highly ranked graduate programs include its Wharton School, School of Education, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Law School and School of Medicine. Penn's other notable graduate programs include its Design School and School of Dental Medicine. Penn, though secular, has a strong religious life with its Hillel for Jewish students, Penn Newman Catholic Center and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. More than 2,000 students each year participate in international study programs offered in more than 70 countries around the world. Notable Penn alumni include former U.S. President William Henry Harrison, poet William Carlos Williams and businessman Donald Trump.

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Duke University

Duke University is a private institution that was founded in 1838. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,646, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 8,709 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Duke University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 8. Its tuition and fees are $47,488 (2014-15).

Durham, North Carolina, which surrounds Duke's campus, offers a variety of activities including shopping, dining and entertainment. Its "Bull City" nickname comes from the Blackwell Tobacco Company's Bull Durham Tobacco. Students at Duke are required to live on campus for their first three years, and freshmen live together on the East Campus. The Duke Blue Devils maintain a fierce rivalry with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels and are best known for their outstanding men's basketball program, one of the top five winningest college basketball programs in the country. Approximately 30 percent of the student body is affiliated with Greek life, which encompasses more than 30 fraternities and sororities.

Duke University is divided into 10 schools and colleges, many of which serve both undergraduate and graduate students. Its graduate programs include the highly ranked Fuqua School of Business, Pratt School of Engineering, School of Law, School of Medicine, Sanford School of Public Policy and School of Nursing. Duke also offers graduate programs through its well-respected Divinity School and Nicholas School of the Environment. Duke's most esteemed undergraduate scholarship, the Robertson Scholars Program, provides approximately 18 students from each class with a monetary reward and the opportunity to study for a semester at UNC-Chapel Hill. Notable alumni include Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; NBA player Carlos Boozer; and former U.S. Congressman and three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1861. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,528, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 168 acres. It utilizes a 4-1-4-based academic calendar. Massachusetts Institute of Technology's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 7. Its tuition and fees are $45,016 (2014-15).

MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, across the Charles River from downtown Boston. Only freshmen students are required to live on campus, but about 70 percent of students choose to remain on campus during their four years. MIT offers housing in one of the coolest dorms in the country, commonly called "The Sponge," designed by architect Steven Holl. The MIT Engineers boast more than 30 NCAA Division III teams, and their mascot is a beaver, which MIT chose because of its "remarkable engineering and mechanical skill and its habits of industry." Each class designs a unique ring called the "Brass Rat" that is revealed during sophomore year, a tradition that dates back to 1929.

MIT focuses on scientific and technological research and is divided into five schools and one college. Among its graduate schools are the highly ranked School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management, in addition to strong programs in economics, psychology, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics and mathematics. Research expenditures at MIT have typically exceeded $650 million each year, with funding coming from government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense. The "Independent Activities Program," a four-week term between fall and spring semesters in January, offers special courses, lectures, competitions and projects. Distinguished alumni include Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke.

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University of Chicago

University of Chicago is a private institution that was founded in 1890. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,659, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 215 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. University of Chicago's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 4. Its tuition and fees are $48,253 (2014-15).

The University of Chicago, situated in Chicago’s Hyde Park community, offers a rich campus life in a big-city setting. The Chicago Maroons have more than 15 NCAA Division III teams, which compete in the University Athletic Association, and have strong basketball and wrestling programs. At Chicago, freshmen are required to live on campus, and more than 50 percent of students choose to remain on campus, while others live in off-campus apartments and houses. On-campus students are placed in "houses" within their dorm, which serve as tight-knit communities and provide academic and social support. Chicago offers more than 400 student organizations.

The University of Chicago is comprised of the College and a number of graduate and professional schools. Its postgraduate offerings include the highly ranked Booth School of Business, Law School, Pritzker School of Medicine, Harris School of Public Policy Studies and Department of Geophysical Sciences, as well as a top-ranked graduate program in economics and a well-regarded Divinity School. Since 1987, the school has hosted the four-day long "University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt," now a venerable university tradition. Famous alumni include former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics recipient Milton Friedman, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and author Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

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Stanford University

Stanford University is a private institution that was founded in 1885. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,061, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 8,180 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. Stanford University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 4. Its tuition and fees are $44,757 (2014-15).

Stanford University’s pristine campus is located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. Stanford offers a wide range of student organizations, including the Stanford Pre-Business Association and Stanford Solar Car Project, which designs, builds and races a solar car every two years. The Stanford Cardinals are well known for the traditional "Big Game" against Cal, an annual football competition that awards the Stanford Axe—a sought-after trophy—to the victor. Stanford also has successful programs in tennis and golf. Only freshman are required to live on campus, but students are guaranteed housing for all four years and most choose to remain on campus. Greek life at Stanford represents approximately 10 percent of the student body.

Four of Stanford University’s seven schools offer undergraduate and graduate coursework, and the remaining three serve as purely graduate schools. Graduate programs include the highly ranked School of Education, School of Engineering, Law School, School of Medicine and the top-ranked Graduate School of Business. The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment oversees collaboration between environmental research, teaching and outreach. Stanford has a number of well-known theatrical and musical groups, including the Ram’s Head Theatrical Society and the Mendicants, an all-male a cappella group. Notable Stanford alumni include former U.S. President Herbert Hoover, famed NFL quarterback John Elway, actress Sigourney Weaver and golfer Tiger Woods, who began his professional career at Stanford.

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Columbia University

Columbia University is a private institution that was founded in 1754. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,084, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 36 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Columbia University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 4. Its tuition and fees are $51,008 (2014-15).

Columbia University, located in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood in New York City, offers a wide range of student activities. The Columbia Lions field more than 25 NCAA Division I teams in the Ivy League. More than 90 percent of students live in on-campus housing, ranging from traditional residence halls to university-owned brownstones. Many of the brownstones are populated by the more than 25 Greek fraternity and sorority chapters on campus, whose membership includes about 10 percent of the student body. Organizations such as Urban New York, which gives out free tickets to city events, foster student interaction with life in the Big Apple.

Columbia is comprised of three undergraduate schools—Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the School of General Studies—as well as a number of graduate and professional schools. Columbia’s graduate programs include the highly ranked Business School, Teachers College, SEAS, Law School, College of Physicians and Surgeons, School of International and Public Affairs, School of the Arts and Mailman School of Public Health. The university also has a well-regarded College of Dental Medicine and Graduate School of Journalism. Columbia is affiliated with Barnard College for women, the Union Theological Seminary and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Distinguished alumni include John Jay, founding father and first Supreme Court Justice; President Barack Obama; songwriting team Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II; and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. Columbia also administers the Pulitzer Prizes.

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Yale University

Yale University is a private institution that was founded in 1701. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,430, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 342 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Yale University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 3. Its tuition and fees are $45,800 (2014-15).

Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, is known for its excellent drama and music programs, which reach outside the classroom with student organizations such as the Yale Whiffenpoofs, a famous a cappella group, and the Yale Dramatic Association. The Yale Bulldogs compete in the Ivy League and are well known for their rivalry with Harvard. Students are assigned to live in one of 12 residential colleges during their time at Yale. Each college has a master and dean who live in the college and eat with students in the dining halls. Cultural houses provide a space for students to build a sense of cultural identity on campus.

Yale is made up of the College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and 13 professional schools. Included in the professional schools are the top ranked Law School and highly ranked School of Management, School of Medicine , School of Art and School of Nursing. The School of Drama, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Divinity School are also well-regarded graduate programs. The Yale Record is the oldest college humor magazine in the nation. Dwight Hall is an independent umbrella organization that fosters student service and activism in the local New Haven community. Yale is well known for its secret societies, the most famous of which are the Skull and Bone Society, which boasts members such as George W. Bush and John Kerry, and the Scroll and Key Society. Distinguished Yale alumni include actress Meryl Streep, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward and actor Edward Norton.

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Harvard University

Harvard University is a private institution that was founded in 1636. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,722, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 5,076 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Harvard University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 2. Its tuition and fees are $43,938 (2014-15).

Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. Harvard's extensive library system houses the oldest collection in the United States and the largest private collection in the world. There is more to the school than endless stacks, though: Harvard's athletic teams compete in the Ivy League, and every football season ends with "The Game," an annual matchup between storied rivals Harvard and Yale. At Harvard, on-campus residential housing is an integral part of student life. Freshmen live around the Harvard Yard at the center of campus, after which they are placed in one of 12 undergraduate houses for their remaining three years. Although they are no longer recognized by the university as official student groups, the eight all-male "final clubs" serve as social organizations for some undergraduate students; Harvard also has five female clubs.

In addition to the College, Harvard is made up of 13 other schools and institutes, including the top-ranked Business School and Medical School and the highly ranked Graduate Education School, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Law School and John F. Kennedy School of Government. Eight U.S. presidents graduated from Harvard College, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Other notable alumni include Henry David Thoreau, Helen Keller, Yo-Yo Ma and Tommy Lee Jones. In 1977, Harvard signed an agreement with sister institute Radcliffe College, uniting them in an educational partnership serving male and female students, although they did not officially merge until 1999. Harvard also has the largest endowment of any school in the world.

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Princeton University

Princeton University is a private institution that was founded in 1746. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,323, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 600 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Princeton University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 1. Its tuition and fees are $41,820 (2014-15).

Princeton, the fourth-oldest college in the United States, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Within the walls of its historic ivy-covered campus, Princeton offers a number of events, activities and organizations. The Princeton Tigers, members of the Ivy League, are well known for their consistently strong men's and women's lacrosse teams. Students live in one of six residential colleges that provide a residential community as well as dining services but have the option to join one of more than 10 eating clubs for their junior and senior years. The eating clubs serve as social and dining organizations for the students who join them. Princeton's unofficial motto, "In the Nation's Service and in the Service of All Nations," speaks to the university's commitment to community service.

Princeton includes highly ranked graduate programs through the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. One unique aspect of Princeton's academic program is that all undergraduate students are required to write a senior thesis. Notable alumni include U.S. President Woodrow Wilson; John Forbes Nash, subject of the 2001 film "A Beautiful Mind"; model/actress Brooke Shields; and first lady Michelle Obama. According to Princeton legend, if a student exits campus through FitzRandolph Gate prior to graduation, he or she may be cursed never to graduate.

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