Emory University

Emory is a highly-ranked research university in the metropolitan Atlanta area. The school was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, and Emory is a member of the elite Association of American Universities for research strengths. Most of Emory's undergrads go to Emory College on the main campus, but about 700 students begin in a two-year liberal arts program at Oxford College in the small town of Oxford, Georgia. Emory's multi-billion-dollar endowment ranks with many Ivy League universities and helps support its strong schools of medicine, theology, law, nursing, and public health. The prestigious Goizueta Business School can boast of faculty members such as former President Jimmy Carter. On the athletic front, the Emory Eagles compete in the NCAA Division III University Athletic Association. Emory's general excellent earned it a place on my lists of top Georgia colleges, top southeastern colleges, best universities, and top business schools.

University of Chicago

Located in Hyde Park, about 7 miles from downtown Chicago, the University of Chicago is one of the top-ranking universities in the U.S. Although the school has almost twice as many graduate students as undergrads, the undergraduate programs are highly respected and a significant majority of students go on to graduate school. Social sciences, sciences, and humanities are all strong. The university can boast of a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and membership in the Association of American Universities. First-year students at the University of Chicago reside in one of 38 "houses" which serve as the center of student life.

Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University is best known for its top-ranked science and engineering programs, but prospective students shouldn't underestimate the school's strengths in the arts and sciences as well. CMU is a highly-selective, mid-sized university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and it is a member of the American Association of Universities.

Stanford University

Stanford is usually considered the best school on the west coast, as well as one of the finest research and teaching universities in the world. Stanford is just as competitive as the best universities in the Northeast, but with its Spanish architecture and mild Californian climate, you won’t mistake it for the Ivy League. Stanford's strengths in research and teaching have earned it a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and membership in the Association of American Universities. In athletics, Stanford University competes in the NCAA Division I Pacific 12 Conference.

Duke University

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is one of the most prestigious and competitive universities in the south, and it frequently ranked nationally among the top ten universities. Duke is part of the “research triangle” with UNC Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University in Raleigh. The area boasts the highest concentration of PhDs and MDs in the world. Duke's strengths in research and instruction have earned it membership in the Association of American Universities, and its strong liberal arts and sciences earned Duke a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. The Duke Blue Devils compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference.

Princeton University

Princeton, a member of the Ivy League, often vies with Harvard for the top spot on national rankings of top universities. Located in a town of about 30,000 people, Princeton’s beautiful 500-acre campus sits about an hour away from both New York City and Philadelphia. Princeton's strengths in research have earned it membership in the Association of American Universities. For its strong liberal arts and sciences, the university was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

University of Pennsylvania

Founded by Benjamin Franklin, Penn should not be confused with Penn State or a public university. The University of Pennsylvania holds its own against the best of its Ivy League brethren. From Penn’s location in West Philadelphia, Center City is an easy walk across the Schuylkill river. With nearly 12,000 undergraduates and a similar number of graduate students, Penn has a diverse and bustling urban campus. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, Penn was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and its strength in research has earned it membership in the Association of American Universities.