Columbia is an iconic Ivy League university in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. The school has some of the most renowned academic programs in the world, paired with astonishing opportunities. Students often pick Columbia College or Columbia Engineering for their undergraduate education because of exactly this combination. They know that they can earn a valuable degree in a vibrant setting with outstanding resources.

The University of Chicago (UChicago) is a private research university located in, you guessed it, Chicago, Illinois. UChicago is one of the most popular colleges amongst our clients, and it’s one of the best places to study things like econ, public policy, business, and math. UChicago is considered an “Ivy+” school, which means we categorize it along with other highly selective non-Ivies like Stanford, MIT, and Duke because of their rigor and exclusivity. If you’re serious about UChicago, we implore you to apply early, and we’re going to make the case for why.

The University of Pennsylvania, often called UPenn or Penn, is one of the eight schools of The Ivy League. It is one of the oldest colleges in America. It boasts a historic campus, a world-renowned business school, the only undergrad nursing program in the Ivy League, and a spirited undergraduate community. Located in Philadelphia, PA, Penn offers a great mix of city and campus living. While it isn’t the most competitive of the Ivies, make no mistake, it is still an extremely hard-to-get-into and elite institution. Applicants who are serious about getting into Penn need to consider applying early decision.

Cornell is a prestigious private research university and member of the coveted Ivy League. The school is known for offering programs, like hospitality and agriculture, unique to Cornell in the Ivy League and extremely highly-respected globally.

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is a private research institution known for academic excellence, strong school spirit, and sports teams with a serious following (hello, Cameron Crazies). The university has built a reputation as one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Duke is especially well-regarded for its programs in public policy, biomedical engineering, and pre-law, and with acceptance rates dropping each year, it’s only getting more competitive. In 2025, their regular decision acceptance rate was under 5%, while ED acceptance sat at 12.8%. These stats put Duke fully in competition with Ivies, with schools like Yale having almost identical numbers.

Princeton University is an elite college in, where else, Princeton, New Jersey. If you are looking for an Ivy League school that prioritizes research and critical thinking, Princeton is likely already on your list. It almost feels silly to introduce Princeton; it is one of the most famous universities in the world. However, we specifically love them for their robust financial aid program, leading programs in subjects like public affairs and computer science, and great residential programs. It's no secret that Princeton is an excellent school, which also makes it highly competitive to get into. You need a solid strategy, and likely part of that plan will be applying through their Single-Choice Early Action option.

Located in the heart of Austin, the University of Texas at Austin is a top-tier public research university known for academic excellence, school spirit, and a culture that blends innovation with tradition. Founded in 1883, UT has grown into a national powerhouse, especially renowned for its business, communications, engineering, and computer science programs. With its rising prestige and increasingly competitive admissions, UT Austin isn’t just a Texas favorite, it’s quickly become one of the most popular colleges among our clients.

Stanford is the most famous and well-respected university on the west coast, and one of the top schools in all of the United States. Getting into Stanford is comparable with gaining admission to the Ivy League, and getting an acceptance is actually harder than getting into most of the Ivy League schools. In recent years, Stanford has from releasing the most recent admissions data. However, based on what data they have released for both the Class of 2028 and the Class of 2027, the acceptance rate is less 4%.