Colleges Ranked by Freshman Class Quality

Thanks to Mr. Ramsey for this research:

College Rankings (from www.go4ivy.com -- a commercial site that charges to assess a student's chance of admission into a college)

Although many college rankings exist, we have developed our own rankings. Our college rankings are independent and based on one criterion: the academic quality of the freshman class. We feel that the best colleges in America are those with the most talented freshman class, not the colleges with the most volumes in their libraries. The colleges on our top 100 list fit this criterion.

Below are four tiers of the nation's top colleges based on the quality of the freshman class. The colleges are listed in tiers rather than ranked individually. We believe that there is an incremental difference between a college that is, for example, ranked 7th versus one that is ranked 10th, and that it is more meaningful to consider colleges in tiers.

Tier I
Amherst College
Brown University
Cal Tech
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
Harvard College
Harvey Mudd
Johns Hopkins University
Middlebury College
MIT
Northwestern University
Pomona College
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Swarthmore College
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
Washington University: STL
Wesleyan University
Williams College
Yale University

Tier II
Bard College
Bates College
Bowdoin College
Brandeis University
Carleton College
Carnegie Mellon
Claremont McKenna
Colby College
College of William & Mary
Cooper Union
Davidson College
Georgetown University
Georgia Tech
Grinnell College
Haverford College
Macalester College
New YOrk University
Oberlin College
Reed College
Tufts College
University of Notre Dame
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Washington and Lee
Wellesley College

Tier III
Barnard College
California: Berkeley
Boston College
Boston University
Bucknell University
Case Western Reserve
Colgate University
Connecticut College
Hamilton College
Kenyon College
Lehigh University
Rhodes College
Rose-Hulman Institute of Tech
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Scripps College
Trinity College
Tulane University
University of Michigan
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
University of Virginia
US Air Force
USC
Wake Forest University
Whitman College

Tier IV
College of the Holy Cross
Colorado College
Colorado School of Mines
Franklin & Marshall College
Furman University
George Washington University
Grove City College
Illinois Wesleyan University
Kalamazoo College
Lafayette College
Mt. Holyoke College
North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Puget Sound
Sarah Lawrence
Smith College
St. Olaf College
Stevens Institute of Technology
Trinity University
UCLA
University of Maryland
University of Wisconsin
US Coast Guard
US Military Academy - West Point
Villanova University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

More complete lists of schools by area and type:

http://www.go4ivy.com/collegelist.asp

SOURCE: National Association of College Admissions Counselors

In an admissions report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Education Council the following reminder was given to future applicants:

"People do not apply to colleges; folders do. The folder and application are a single opportunity to influence process. Approach each aspect of the application as an opportunity. Devote time and thought to each of the various portions."

As you think about your folder circulating among an admissions committee, consider the following:

1. Read every word of the directions before you even print your name.
2. Demonstrate your best work - something of which you can be proud.
3. Essays should be error-free, thoughtful, logical and organized. Do not overreach. Use comfortable vocabulary. Be yourself. "The essay should say something the rest of the application doesn't say, or at least should elaborate on something the application barely suggests; a talent, an interest, thought on world or local problems, a personal accomplishment."
4. Do not write what you think the admissions office wants. The committee reading your application wants to know you - whatever you think and do. No matter how ordinary you feel, your folder represents a different individual from all the others.
5. Use specific examples when describing your interests and achievements. Explain your involvement - why the things you chose to discuss are important to you. It is better to emphasize the degree of involvement in a few activities than a long list of superficial interests.
6. Why are you going to college? To learn? To learn what? Why? A college should be convinced that you truly want an education. Avoid simplistic answers and reasons. If you want to be an engineer, for example, cite some experience from your own life of deed and thought that led you to this present choice.
7. If humor is part of your style, feel free to use it.
8. Typing or printing is acceptable. In some cases you will be required to write an essay in your own handwriting. Neatness and legibility are obviously essential.
9. Proofread. Spelling errors are unacceptable.
10. Photo copies (clear ones) are perfectly acceptable, but sign each one individually. Your name should be on each page or article submitted in addition to the applications.
11. Proofread again!

Additional Important Tips -- SENIOR YEAR (SENIORITIS)

1. Colleges pay close attention to choice of senior year courses and to performance in the seventh semester of high school. Hence it is not wise to "lighten up" in the senior year. An upward trend in the senior year can be helpful in the admissions process whereas a senior year slump can be extremely detrimental.
2. Colleges reserve the right to revoke offers of admission or to put matriculating students on academic probation if eighth semester grades should fall dramatically. Avoid dramatic changes in effort during the last semester.
3. Be sure to inform your college counselor if a college notifies you that your file is incomplete.
4. Thank your teachers for writing letters of recommendation, preferably with a card or note. (It is a very time-consuming task.)
5. You will be invited to attend informal meeting/receptions hosted by the colleges to which you are applying. If you have been asked to RSVP please do so. If you have responded affirmatively and cannot make it, contact your host and let him/her know of your change in plans. If there is a sign-in sheet at the reception, use it.
6. As a courtesy to the colleges please respond either affirmatively or negatively to their offers of admission in writing. Do so within the time allotted for such a response.
7. The admissions process is very much a process of relationship building. Many colleges base their decisions on their perceptions of the applicant’s interest in their school. Be sure you build and maintain a relationship with the schools you are applying to as much as possible and contact with the school until you have received a decision letter.

CHOOSING A COLLEGE

Go to http://www.collegeview.com/. Picture your ideal college. Once you have decided on important factors, use this site to find which colleges meet those requirements. Narrow or broaden your search criteria as needed.

Take virtual tours. At CollegeView, you'll find KeyFacts and a link for each college that may be a possibility for your students. That link takes you to the college's site, where you can take a virtual tour of the campus.

http://www.collegeview.com/index.jsp

Read articles:
http://www.collegeview.com/articles/CV/application/step_by_step.html

SPRING CALENDAR -- COLLEGE DATES

Ed Fund Scholarship Application Deadline
http://edfundwest.org/

GFSF Scholar Applicant Interviews – week of March 16-20, 2009
GFSF Scholar Award Recipients Announced – March 30, 2009
http://www.goodenfamilyfund.org/calendar-of-events

2009 Spring San Francisco College Fair
Saturday, April 4 (1:30 pm -- 4:30 pm)
Concourse Exhibition Center
San Francisco, CA
http://www.nacacnet.org/EVENTSTRAINING/COLLEGEFAIRS/NCF/SPRING/Pages/SanFranciscoNCF.aspx

CSU-East Bay College Fair – April 24, 2009,
CSU-East Bay, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM & 6:00 – 8:00 PM
http://www20.csueastbay.edu/events/college-fair/index.html

East Bay College Connection Fair
St. Mary’s College Fair – April 25, 2009, St. Mary’s College, 1:00-4:30 PM
http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/admissions-and-aid/undergraduate-admissions/ebcc.html

WEST CONTRA COSTA PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND

Founded in 1983, The Ed. Fund (West Contra Costa Public Education Fund) is dedicated to inspiring student achievement, encouraging commitment to lifelong learning, honoring and supporting teachers, and building community partnerships committed to public education in West County public schools.

Programs

The Ed Fund invests in our schools through grants made directly to public school teachers; arts and music programs; college scholarships for high school seniors; after school programming; and teacher awards that recognize excellence. The Ed. Fund is also a community partner to and acts as fiscal sponsor for several agencies serving students in West County public schools. Over the past 25 years, The Ed. Fund has helped West County public schools by:

Awarding over $2,000,000 in grants and programs directly to schools
Giving nearly $400,000 in college scholarships
Providing resources to over 5,000 educators
Serving as the non-profit umbrella for over 50 education-focused community groups To learn more about our programs, click here.

With generous support from various private donors and foundations, The Ed. Fund provides scholarship funds to high school seniors in West County with financial need. We believe everyone deserves the chance to go to college. After six years and nearly $400,000 worth of college scholarships, we are confident this is a worthwhile investment in the future of West County.

http://www.edfundwest.org/

GOODEN FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The Gooden Family Scholarship Fund (GFSF) is committed to helping academically capable, under-represented students achieve their goals toward higher education. We offer college preparatory services to selected high school scholars from West Contra Costa Unified School District and free public workshops about college.

GFSF believes that all interested students deserve a chance to receive higher education, regardless of their economic status. GFSF is taking steps in our community to make a difference in the lives of promising high school students by offering college application support. Through our Scholar Project and Outreach Project we hope to increase the participation of low-income, under-represented students at major colleges and universities

http://www.goodenfamilyfund.org/

YALE UNIVERSITY -- New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University is located in New Haven, Connecticut, a historic, small New England city about two hours north of New York. A total of approximately 11,400 students attend Yale University's three component parts – Yale College (which is the undergraduate institution), the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and ten professional schools (the Schools of Art, Architecture, Drama, Engineering, Music, Forestry and Environmental Studies, Law, Management, Medicine, and Nursing, and the Divinity School).

Today, most Americans probably think of Yale in terms of undergraduate experience. However, Yale University is also a highly esteemed research university, having produced Nobel laureates in economics, physics, chemistry, and medicine. Yale University is also home to several world-renowned art collections and libraries.

Yale University has a long tradition of public service, with faculty, officers, and alumni who have served (and continue to serve) in government, education, business, and non-profit ventures. Among its most famous alumni are five U.S. presidents: George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford, and William Howard Taft. Other contemporary leaders in public life who graduated from Yale are John Kerry, Dick Cheney, George Pataki, and Hillary Clinton.
From an undergraduate's point of view, one of the most striking aspects of the Yale experience is that it is a residential college, modeled on the Oxford and Cambridge systems.

Incoming students are assigned to one of twelve residential colleges, each of which houses about 450 students. Each college is housed in its own building, which contains dining and sports and recreation facilities as well as residential quarters and meeting rooms. The Colleges are staffed by deans, masters, associated faculty, and fellows, and offer a rich variety of seminars, lectures, and social events. This makes for an atmosphere in which students with widely varying interests and backgrounds are constantly crossing paths, and gives all students an exceptional opportunity to expand their educational and social horizons during their college years.

Yale University
P.O. Box 208234
New Haven, CT 06520
Phone: (203) 432 - 9300
Private
Founded 1701
No religious affiliation
Urban
Semester
Admission Information
Admission Director: Margit Dahl
Phone: (203) 432 - 9300
Email: undergraduate.admissions@yale.edu

Early action
Single Choice Early Action application deadline: November 1.Decisions are mailed by mid-December.
Regular action
Regular decision deadline: December 31.Decisions are mailed April 1.

Test scores
There is no preference between the SAT and ACT. Applicants may submit scores from the SAT plus 2 SAT Subject Tests, or from the ACT with Writing.

The Common Application is accepted with a Yale Supplement.
Campus visit: Not required.
Interview: Off-campus alumni interviews are recommended.
Early action acceptance rate: 18.1%
Top 10% of high school class: 95%
SAT I score (median): 2080-2370
ACT score (median): 29-34
Financial Aid
Tuition and fees (2007-2008): $34,530
Room and board (2007-2008): $10,470

Yale has a need-blind admissions policy and is committed to meeting 100 per cent of admitted students' demonstrated financial need.

Student Body
Undergrad student body: 5,300
Greek life: Yes, but statistics are not available.
5 year graduation rate: 94%
Out of state students: 93%
International students: 8%
Male/Female: 51% / 49%
Students living in campus housing: 83%

Princeton University is located out of the big city limelight, in a small, pleasant New Jersey town about an hour's train ride from either New York City or Philadelphia. Although it might be considered one of the quieter members of the Ivy League, Princeton University holds a place in American – and even international – education and public life that is second to none.

Since its founding in 1746, Princeton has educated thousands of men and women who have made historic contributions in government, science, and the arts. Princeton graduates did much to shape the internationalist outlook of the American statesmen and diplomats who led the United States into its post-World War II era of leadership.

In the field of the sciences, it's hard to imagine what the history of the twentieth century would look like without the contributions made by Princeton physicists, mathematicians, and economists. They include Albert Einstein, who spent the last two decades of his life at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study, and John F. Nash, the Nobel Prize-winning mathematician portrayed in the film "A Beautiful Mind."

Princeton also has an important place in the arts, counting some of the past century's most influential writers among its alumni and faculty – among them Eugene O'Neill, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Toni Morrison.

Approximately 1,175 freshmen enter Princeton University each fall. They come from across the United States and around the world. Princeton students enjoy the benefits of an extremely low student-to-faculty ratio (approximately 5 to 1) and access to remarkable libraries and art collections.

Princeton University sees itself as a research university with an enduring commitment to undergraduate teaching. This mission is reflected in the senior thesis that all Princeton seniors are required to submit. These theses are original works, typically about one hundred pages long, in which students apply the knowledge and skills they have gained at Princeton to a topic of particular interest to them. Senior theses can be anything from scientific papers to works of fiction or poetry. The thesis provides students with an extraordinary opportunity to exercise their intellectual skills, and the chance to cap their undergraduate work with a written product of substance and quality that is typically expected only of graduate students. The thesis, like the Princeton educational experience itself, is an achievement of lasting value that benefits Princeton graduates throughout their careers.

General Information
Princeton University
P.O. Box 430
Princeton, NJ 08544
Phone: (609) 258 - 3000

Private
Founded 1746
No religious affiliation
Suburban
Semester
Admission Information
Admission Director: Janet Lavin Rapelye
Phone: (609) 258 - 3060

Early decision
Princeton ended its Early Decision program in 2007.
Regular decision
Regular decision deadline: January 1.Decisions are mailed by early April.
Transfers
Princeton does not accept transfer students.

Test scores
The SAT is strongly preferred, but ACT (with Writing) scores are accepted.
3 SAT Subject Test scores are required in addition to the SAT or ACT (with Writing).
Engineering applicants should take one SAT Subject Test in mathematics and one in physics or chemistry.
Applicants should take these tests no later than January.
The Common Application is accepted, together with the Princeton Supplement form.
Campus visit: recommended
Interview: recommended
Top 10% of high school class: 94%
SAT score (25/75 percentile): 2050-2360
ACT (25/75 percentile): 30-34
Financial Aid
Tuition and fees (2007-2008): $33,695
Room and board (2007-2008): $10,980

Princeton follows a need-blind admissions policy for both U.S. and international applicants. The University is committed to meeting each student's full financial need through grants, scholarships, and work-study employment. Over 50% of the Class of 2011 received some form of financial aid.

Student Body
Undergrad student body 4,500
Male/female ratio: 52% / 48%
Greek life: N/A
5 year graduation rate: 95%
Out of state students: 84%
International students: 11%
Students living in campus housing: 97%

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA -- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania was born in the mind of none other than American statesman, inventor, and philosopher Benjamin Franklin. "U Penn" has, fittingly, always reflected Franklin's innovative spirit, combining intellectual daring with down-to-earth practicality and a commitment to the public good. This tradition can be seen in the long list of 'firsts' that the University of Pennsylvania can lay claim to. It was the first institution of higher learning in the American colonies to open a school of medicine (in 1765) and the first to establish a teaching hospital (in 1874). UPenn's Wharton school, founded in 1881, was the United States' first collegiate school of business. Another 'first' that the University of Pennsylvania can take pride in is ENIAC, the first-ever large-scale, general purpose computer, which was built at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946.
Today, the University of Pennsylvania is consistently regarded as one of the best universities in the United States. It comprises a School of Arts and Sciences, the Wharton School of Business, a School of Law, a School of Medicine, and the Annenburg School of Communication, as well as outstanding schools of veterinary medicine, nursing, social work, engineering and applied science, and education. The University of Pennsylvania is particularly noted as a leader in interdisciplinary and joint degree programs, including an Institute for Medicine and Engineering, the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business, and the Jerome Fisher Management and Technology Program. The University is also home to a highly regarded Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

The University of Pennsylvania is located on a 260-acre campus in West Philadelphia's University City, across the Schuykill River from downtown Philadelphia. Residents enjoy this urban neighborhood for its historic charms (Victorian row houses and red brick walls), its green space and trees, its range of ethnic restaurants and markets and its cultural attractions, and its intimate feel – it's a friendly environment for both pedestrians and cyclists.

The U Penn campus community brings together approximately 10,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduate and professional students, coming from across the U.S. and around the world. The University of Pennsylvania takes particular pride in the fact that it houses all of its component schools on this one campus. This makes for a 'mixing bowl' in which students, professors, and researchers from all disciplines can cross paths and share ideas, further contributing to the intellectual vigor that distinguishes the U Penn community and a U Penn education.

University of Pennsylvania
3541 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone: (215) 898 - 5000
Private
Founded 1740
No religious affiliation
Urban
Semester

Admission Information
Admission Director: Willis J. Stetson, Jr.
Phone: (215) 898 - 7507
Email: info@admissions.ugao.upenn.edu
Early decision
Early decision application deadline: November 1.Decisions are mailed by mid-December.
Regular decision
Regular decision application deadline: January 1.Decisions are mailed by early April.

Test scores
The SAT is preferred over the ACT. However, both are accepted.
SAT scores must be submitted along with 2 SAT Subject Test scores.

The Common Application is accepted with a U Penn supplement.
Campus visit: Recommended
Interview: Off-campus alumni interviews can be arranged

Early decision acceptance rate: 29.2%
Top 10% of high school class: 96%
SAT score (25/75 percentile): 1980-2250
ACT score (25/75 percentile): 29-33
Financial Aid
Tuition and fees (2007-2008): $36,242
Room and board (2007-2008): $10,208

Student Body
Undergrad student body: 10,163
Greek life: 22% fraternities and 16% sororities
5 year graduation rate: 88%
Male/female ratio: 48% / 52%
Out of state students: 81%
International students: 13%
Students living in campus housing: 62%

HARVARD UNIVERSITY -- Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard is more than a university – it's a tradition. No other American institution of higher learning has such a prominent place in the nation's history or imagination. Harvard, founded in 1636, is the oldest university in the United States (and the oldest corporation in the Americas). It is perhaps the U.S. university that is both closest to the British model of university education, yet distinctly American in identity and outlook. Harvard was founded as a small institution with the mission of educating Protestant clergy. It grew as the United States did, expanding in size and scope, and diversifying its student and teaching communities. Today a Harvard degree commands respect not only in the United States, but around the world – Harvard counts seven U.S. presidents among its alumni, and over 40 Nobel laureates among its current and former faculty.

Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on a campus just across the Charles River from Boston. This is a highly urban setting that joins colonial-era buildings and landmarks with Massachusetts' burgeoning hi-tech industry. Harvard is a large university, with high-profile graduate and professional programs. Almost two-thirds of its approximately 19,500 students are enrolled in its professional and graduate schools (which include the world-renowned Medical School, the Business School, the Law School, the John F. Kennedy School of Government, the Divinity School, the School of Public Health, and the Graduate School of Education).

Despite the university's size, the Harvard educational experience is usually an intense and companionable one, with students benefiting from low student-to-faculty ratios and opportunities to get involved with the local community. Connections made at Harvard often last a lifetime, with graduates becoming part of a vigorous network of over 270,000 alumni.

General Information
Harvard University
Undergraduate Admission Office
Byerly Hall
Eight Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: (617) 495 - 1551

Private
Founded 1636
No religious affiliation
Urban
Semester
Admission Information
Admission Director: William Fitzsimmons
Phone: (617) 495 - 1551
Email: college@fas.harvard.edu

Early action
Harvard ended its Early Action admissions program in 2007.
Regular decision
Regular decision application deadline: January 1.

Decisions are mailed in early April.

Test scores
Harvard requires scores from the SAT or the ACT (with Writing) plus 3 SAT Subject Tests.
There is no preference between the SAT I and ACT.
Applicants should take the ACT by mid-February and/or the SAT I and II by mid January.
The Common Application is used together with supplemental forms.
Campus visit: not required
Interview: may be arranged
Top 10% of high school students: 95%
SAT score (25/75 percentile): 2080-2370
ACT score (25/75 percentile): 31-34
Financial Aid
Tuition and fees for 2007-2008: $34,998
Room and board for 2007-2008: $10,622
Two-thirds of Harvard students receive financial aid in some form, such as grants, loans, and/or part-time work.

In March 2004, Harvard announced the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative, a financial aid program designed to broaden the diversity of the undergrad student body. Under this program, Harvard no longer requires households earning less than $60,000 per year to pay toward students' tuition or room and board. International students qualify for the same amount of financial assistance under this program that U.S. citizens do.

Student Body
Undergrad student body: 6,648
5 year graduation rate: 95%
Male/female ratio: 50% / 50%
International: 9%
Out of state students: 86%
Students living in campus housing: 97%

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE -- Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth College is the smallest member of the Ivy League – and arguably the one with the most intimate social and geographic setting. Dartmouth is located in Hanover, New Hampshire, a small town near New Hampshire's border with Vermont. Prospective students from warmer climates should note that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory is nearby. That gives an idea of what the winters are like – but also of the remarkable intellectual capital to be found in the area. In fact, observers say that

Dartmouth's small size and the geographical proximity of its programs are two of the reasons why an unusual amount of cross-disciplinary and groundbreaking work is done there.
Dartmouth College was founded as an undergraduate institution and continues to exercise a commitment to undergrad education. It is also an outstanding research university, and has has highly regarded schools of business, medicine, and engineering as well as graduate programs in the arts and sciences. In the College's own words, Dartmouth's mission is to "instill a love of learning and discovery in every member of its community."

Dartmouth strives to make its educational experience available to all qualified students, assessing applicants on a 'need blind' basis that considers their abilities without regard to their financial resources.

Dartmouth has a unique academic calendar, the 'D Plan,' which divides the year into four terms of equal length. This means that students have exceptional flexibility in planning their schedules, and can seek off-campus experiences (such as internships and research) at any time of year. This may be one reason why Dartmouth has the highest rate of participation in study-abroad programs of any Ivy League institution, with about 60% of any senior class having spent at least one quarter outside the U.S.

Dartmouth offers a remarkably rich social and cultural life. Dartmouth students can take part in any of over 200 organizations and activities. Those with musical inclinations can participate in highly regarded choirs, glee clubs, and ensembles. Students with an artistic bent can enjoy the resources of an outstanding art museum and center for performing arts, and those who enjoy sports can get involved in activities ranging from an NCAA Division 1 football team to the mountaineering club. In fact, Dartmouth is considered to have one of the best college varsity sports programs in the country – more evidence that the school does not let its relatively small scale or remote location keep it from providing its students with the best possible resources for intellectual and personal growth.

Dartmouth College
6016 McNutt Hall
Hanover, NH 03755
Phone: (603) 646 -1111
Private
Founded 1769
No religious affiliation
Rural
Quarter

Admission Information
Admission Director: Maria Laskaris (as of summer 2007)
Phone: (603) 646 - 2875
Email: admissions.office@dartmouth.edu

Early decision
Early decision application deadline: November 1. Decisions are mailed in mid-December.
Regular decision
Regular decision application deadline: January 1. Decisions are mailed in early April.

Test scores
There is no preference between the SAT and ACT.
SAT /ACT and two SAT Subject Test scores must be received by January 1.
The Common Application is used together with two supplemental Dartmouth forms.

Campus visit: recommended
Interview: Off-campus alumni interviews are available.
On-campus interviews are no longer offered. Campus visitors can attend group information sessions.
Early decision acceptance rate: 28.0%
Top 10% of high school class: 90%
SAT score (25/75 percentile) 1350-1530 (Math and Critical Reading scores only)
ACT score (25/75 percentile) 28-34

Financial Aid
Tuition and fees for 2007-2008: $35,178
Room and board for 2007-2008: $10,305
Dartmouth is committed to meeting 100% of each student's demonstrated need.
57% of the Class of 2011 received financial aid.
The average aid package for first-year students who entered Dartmouth in Fall 2006 was worth $30,712.
Student Body
Undergrad student body 4,100
Greek life: 48% fraternities and 40% sororities
5 year grad rate: 92%
Male/female ratio: 49% / 50%
Out of state students: 97%
Students living in campus housing: 85%

CORNELL UNIVERSITY - Ithaca, New York

Cornell University was founded in 1865 by a telegraph pioneer and an accomplished scholar and writer. This partnership of business acumen and intellectual excellence resulted in a university that has consistently set educational standards and achieved many academic 'firsts.' Cornell was the first university to teach a course in American history, the first to establish professorships in American Literature and American Studies, the first American university to teach modern Far Eastern languages, and the first to establish a university press. It was even the first to allow undergraduates to check books out of the university library.

Cornell is unique among Ivy League schools in having been founded as a state land-grant university. This has given Cornell a unique vision of itself as a private institution with a public mission, and formed the basis of a lasting commitment to social engagement and the public good.
Cornell is a large and diverse university, with highly autonomous schools and colleges. Everything from administrative procedures to admissions rates to institutional culture can differ significantly from one program to another. Prospective students should look closely at the school or program they are thinking of applying to, and not just at the university as a whole.
Cornell University is located in Ithaca, in upstate New York. This is a rural area of woods and lakes renowned for its natural beauty and popular with weekend vacationers from New York City. Ithaca is a quintessential example of an American college town – small, close-knit, surprisingly cultured and rather liberal, with film houses, galleries, vegetarian restaurants (including the famous Moosewood Restaurant), and, in recent years, social experiments such as a local currency and a cooperative health care system. The University and the city offer what is probably the most family-friendly environment in the Ivy League – a factor that can make Cornell an especially attractive choice for graduate and Ph.D. students.

Geographical isolation is a fact of life for Cornell students. The nearest large cities are Syracuse and Binghamton, each about an hour away by car. New York City is approximately 250 miles away. Tough winters are a reality of life – if you don't like snow, you'll probably have a hard time getting through winter in upstate New York. However, long winters and physical remoteness are offset by Cornell's rich social and cultural life. Cornell has over 600 student organizations, and one of the largest intramural sports programs in the U.S. This offers students many opportunities to explore and develop their interests, as well as chances to gain the kind of organizational and leadership experience that help round out a resume.

Information
Cornell University
410 Thurston Avenue
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: (607) 255 - 2000

Private
Founded 1865
No religious affiliation
Suburban
Semester
Admission Information
Phone: (607) 255 - 5241
Email: admissions@cornell.edu

Early decision
Early decision application deadline: November 1. Decisions are sent by mid-December.
Regular decisionRegular decision deadline: January 1. Decisions are sent in early April.

Transfers

Applications for fall transfers accepted: February 15 - March 15. Decisions are sent by June 15.Applications for spring transfers accepted: October 1 - November 1. Decisions are sent in December.

Test Scores

There is no preference between the SAT and the ACT.Applicants must submit a SAT or ACT with Writing score plus 2 SAT Subject Test scores.
The Common Application is used with a Cornell supplement.

Campus visit: recommended
Interview: May be required, depending on the applicant
Early decision acceptance rate: 37.3%
Top 10% of high school class: 84%
SAT score (25/75 percentile): 1280-1490 (Math and Critical Reading scores only)
ACT score (25/75 percentile): 28-32
Financial Aid
Tuition and fees (2007-2008): $34,781
Room and board (2007-2008): $11,190

Student Body
Undergraduate student body: 13,510
Male female ratio: 51% / 49%
Greek life: 22% fraternities and 19% sororities
5 year graduation rate: 90%
Out of state students: 66 %
Students living in campus housing: 56%

Columbia University is New York City's only Ivy League school. The University's main campus spreads across six blocks of the upper west side, in the picturesque neighborhood of Morningside Heights. Not surprisingly, Columbia University students typically become engrossed in the myriad of activities associated with living in New York City. Nonetheless, there is a great sense of community on the Columbia campus, particularly among the undergraduate student population.

Columbia College, the undergraduate school of arts and sciences, is the oldest part of the University, founded in 1754. It is committed to providing the best general education curriculum available anywhere in the country, an undergraduate experience that engages students in an ongoing discourse on knowledge and ideas. The program stresses small seminars in which students read and discuss fundamental works in the arts, humanities, and sciences, and then develop their understanding of them through critical analysis, class discussion, and writing. In many ways, it is students' interests and ambitions that set the path for coursework and discussions. Columbia stresses close interaction between professors and students, with the goal of developing students' abilities to reason, to formulate ideas, and to communicate their thoughts clearly. Columbia provides an outstanding undergraduate grounding and is a particularly apt choice for students interested in pursuing graduate academic work, particularly in research-based disciplines.

Columbia's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is the oldest, and one of the best, engineering schools in the U.S. It is committed to giving all students, even first-years, first-hand research experience. It also gives students a wide range of opportunities to pursue cross-disciplinary studies and to combine a bachelor of science degree with a minor in the liberal arts.

It is hard to conceive of an intellectual interest that could not be pursued at Columbia. The University offers undergraduate study at Columbia College (formerly known as King's College), the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of General Studies (which is oriented to the needs of returning and non-traditional students). Graduate and professional programs are offered through Columbia's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of the Arts, the Graduate School of Business, the School of International and Public Affairs, the Graduate School of Journalism, the School of Law, the School of Nursing, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, and the School of Social Work. The University also has a School of Continuing Studies, and is affiliated with four separate institutions: Barnard College, Teachers College, the Jewish Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary. While each of these schools enjoys a reputation for excellence, Columbia is particularly renowned for its Graduate School of Business, its School of International and Public Affairs, and its Teachers College.

General Information
Columbia University
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
212 Hamilton Hall
New York, NY 10027
Phone: (212) 854 - 2522

Private
Founded 1754
No religious affiliation
Urban
Semester
Admission Information
Admission Director: Jessica Marinaccio
Email: ugrad-admiss@columbia.edu

Early decision
Early decision application deadline:

November 1 (or first business day thereafter)The decision is sent by mid December.
Regular decision

Regular decision deadline: January 1 (or first business day thereafter)The decision is sent by April 1.

Transfers

Transfer application deadline: March 15 (or first business day thereafter)The decision is sent by April 1.
Applicants must submit SAT or ACT (with Writing) scores, plus 2 SAT Subject Test scores. For engineering applicants, one Subject Test must be in mathematics and the other in physics or chemistry. Home-schooled applicants must submit scores from 4 SAT Subject Tests.
SAT/ACT and SAT II scores must be received by January 1.
NOTE: Columbia cannot accept SAT scores sent by 'rush' service.

The Common Application is not accepted.

Campus visit: Recommended
Interview: Off-campus alumni interviews are available.
Early decision acceptance rate: 23.1%
Top 10% of high school class: 94%
SAT score (25/75 percentile): 1980-2220
ACT score (25/75 percentile): 28-33
Financial Aid
Tuition and fees for 2007-2008: $37,223
Room and board for 2007-2008: $9,937
Average financial aid package for 2007-2008: $27,203

Student Body
Undergrad student body: 7,467
Greek life: 10% to 15%
5 year graduation rate: 88%
Out of state students: 74%

BROWN UNIVERSITY - Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University combines an adventurous spirit of innovation with a steadfast commitment to rigorously high standards in education and research. This has given Brown University its reputation as the least 'stuffy,' most non-conformist of the Ivy League schools. Brown believes that students learn best when they are motivated by their own interests and values. It strives to give its students an opportunity to design an educational experience uniquely suited to their interests.

Undergraduates can choose from one hundred established degree concentrations (ranging from neurology to Egyptology) or design their own programs. Graduate students can choose from fifty different programs, ranging from multidisciplinary programs in the arts and humanities to highly-focused programs in engineering, biology, and medicine. Brown University's Medical School is particularly noted for offering a unique Program in Liberal Medical Education. This is an eight-year-long program that combines undergraduate and professional study, and has the aim of producing physicians who combine a commitment to medical practice with a broad and humanistic understanding of the world. It is both highly regarded and highly competitive – the School usually receives over twenty applications for each class space available.

The key thing to understand about Brown University is that it asks its students to take center stage in the learning experience. Brown expects its students to be active participants in their own education, and to actively seek knowledge across disciplinary boundaries as well as to acquire the fundamental knowledge and analytical skills needed for success in their chosen fields. This makes for an exciting and profoundly satisfying educational experience, especially for students with confidence, intellectual curiosity, and focus. However, it's also one that might be overwhelming for students who prefer more academic structure and direction. Brown supports its students – faculty and staff are available to give students advice, guidance, and feedback on their educational choices – but its program inherently demands a great degree of initiative and self-direction. The Brown educational experience truly is different from what many other U.S. institutions offer. Potential students (undergraduates especially) should give this aspect of Brown University careful thought as they consider whether to apply to the University.

General Information
Brown University
Admission Office
P.O. Box 1876
Providence, RI 02912
Phone: (401) 863 - 1000

Private
Founded 1764
No religious affiliation
Urban
Semester
Admission Information
Admission Director: James Miller
Phone: (401) 863 - 2378
Email: admission_undergraduate@brown.edu

Early Decision
Early Decision application deadline: November 1.Decisions are mailed December 10.
Regular Decision
Regular decision deadline: January 1.Decisions are mailed March 31.

Transfers
Transfer application deadline: March 1.Decisions are mailed May 13.

Test scores
There is no preference between the SAT and the ACT.
SAT scores must be submitted along with 2 SAT Subject Test scores.
ACT scores must include the Writing Test.
Tests should be taken by January of the applicant's final year of secondary school.
The Common Application is accepted.
Campus visit: Recommended.
Interview: Recommended but not required.
Early Decision acceptance rate: 22.7%
Overall acceptance rate: 13.3%
Acceptance rate for valedictorians: 35%
SAT score (25/75 percentile) 2010-2290
ACT score (25/75 percentile) 27-33

Financial Aid
Tuition and fees for 2007-2008: $36,342
Room and board for 2007-2008: $9,606

Average financial aid package: $30,670
Average scholarship grant: $24,840

Brown follows a need-blind admissions policy for US citizens and permanent residents.
Student Body
Undergrad student body 5,821
Greek life: 9%
5 year grad rate: 95%
Out of state students: 96%Top 10% of high school class: 91%Women: 52%International: 7%
Students living in campus housing: 85%

http://www.admissionsconsultants.com/college/brown.asp

The following link lists the eight U.S. universities that comprise the 'Ivy League' – a small group of private universities that enjoy a reputation for providing excellent education, and attract top students.

http://www.admissionsconsultants.com/college/ivy_league_table.asp

It is interesting to note that the term 'ivy league' originally referred not to academics but to sports. The original Ivy League brought together not minds, but football teams. That said, these eight universities have some educational and institutional traits in common beyond their athletics programs. All are long-established, private universities; all are in the Northeastern U.S.; all benefit from sizeable endowments and generous alumni financial support; all are highly selective – and all are very expensive.

Welcome to the Ivy League Connection -- Getting Into College Blogspot.

This Blog is dedicated to sharing information about how WCCUSD students can streamline their journey to college.

Our first step is to share information that is currently available -- but often unknown -- with students and their families.

There are several links that are very important for everyone to be familiar with. The first, and most comprehensive, is:

http://CaliforniaColleges.edu

This is California's FREE official website that provides information about higher education in California for students, counselors, and parents. It has been developed in collaboration with the California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), California Community Colleges (CCC), Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (A I C C U), and the California Department of Education.

The career section provides tools to help explore career interests, learn about career opportunities, and understand what college majors are best for achieving career goals.

The CaliforniaColleges.edu High School Planner and the Independent Colleges High School Planner are designed to help you compare your high school courses to either 1) the subject requirements for the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) or 2) the required and recommended number of courses for admission to the independent colleges of California.

You can start using either planner at any time. By selecting the name of your particular high school and then entering the classes you have taken (or plan to take), you will be able to see whether or not you are on track to meet 1) the UC and CSU subject requirements or 2) the number of courses required and recommended for the independent California colleges and universities.

Both planners require a CaliforniaColleges.edu account so that you can save your work and update it as you complete your high school work. The information that you provide is always under your control — what you enter will not be provided to anyone without your authorization.

Use the High School Planner for the UC and CSU
Use the Independent Colleges High School Planner

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/cg/cc/collegeplan.asp

In addition, there other important sites that will provide you with information about colleges and universitities outside of California. Including the following:

http://www.college-scholarships.com/ten_rules_for_selecting_a_college_or_universities.htm


Spring 2009 College Fairs:

2009 Spring San Francisco College Fair
Saturday, April 4 (1:30 pm - 4:30 pm)
Concourse Exhibition Center

http://www.nacacnet.org/EventsTraining/CollegeFairs/ncf/Spring/Pages/SanFranciscoNCF.aspx
(hosted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling)


Other organizations hosting college fairs are:

Exploring Educational Excellence (Brown, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Rice)
http://www.exploringeducationalexcellence.org/index.html

Colleges that Change Lives (40 private colleges)
http://www.ctcl.org/
Monday, August 3, 2009 (Marin Center Exhibit Hall)
http://www.ctcl.org/events/san-francisco

Exploring College Options (Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn, Stanford)
http://www.exploringcollegeoptions.org/