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The New Ivies are an elite group of schools that are slightly easier to get into than the official Ivy League. What are the New Ivies and how do you get into them? Keep reading to find out!
While many students are familiar with Ivy League colleges, the New Ivies may be a relatively unfamiliar term. What does it mean for a school to be a New Ivy, how do they compare to the traditional Ivy League schools, and how can you get in? Below, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the New Ivies.
Conceived by Newsweek in 2006, the term New Ivy references a school that is not a member of the traditional Ivy League, but still ranks highly in academic excellence.
While these schools often do not have the same endowment size or international reputation as the traditional Ivy League schools, they are highly regarded, respected, and have competitive admissions.
New Ivies represent an opportunity for an Ivy League education outside of the conventional eight schools of the League. Another allure of the New Ivies is that they are spread across the United States, rather than being located in the east of the country like the Ivy League schools.
Below are the 25 colleges coined as New Ivies:
Location: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Boston College has a small student body of approximately 15,000 students. Located twenty minutes outside of Boston, the institution is known for liberal arts and science. The school is also well known for athletics and competes in 31 NCAA Division I sports.
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Bowdoin College is a liberal arts college that offers students the choice of 43 majors in rural Maine. Students complete a mandatory two year curriculum that includes a wide range of subjects before declaring their major.
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Acceptance Rate: 11% (Class of 2026)
Well known for its computer science and engineering programs, Carnegie Mellon is a research university based in Pittsburgh. According to Carnegie Mellon, over 400 startups linked to the university have raised more than seven billion dollars of funding, and their students are known for their entrepreneurship.
Location: Claremont, California
There are seven colleges that makeup the Claremont colleges family, five undergraduate and two graduate. The five undergraduate colleges and their acceptance rates are as follows:
All provide a liberal arts education, and are independent bodies that act as a consortium. Located in southern California, they are all a fantastic place to both study and live.
Location: Waterville, Maine
Located in rural Maine, Colby College is a small liberal arts college with a student body of less than 2,500 undergraduates. It is often referred to as a ‘little Ivy’ in reference to its small student body, and is one of the most selective liberal arts colleges in the country.
Location: Hamilton, New York
According to Colgate University, their alumni are famously loyal to their alma mater. Colgate provides a liberal arts education and prides itself on its small class size and highly educated faculty.
Location: Davidson, North Carolina
Acceptance Rate: 16.9% (Class of 2026)
Davidson College is currently ranked as the 15th-best liberal arts college in the country. With a small undergraduate body of approximately 2000 undergraduates, it still boasts over 200 student organizations on campus.
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Emory University is a research university well known for its School of Medicine and Law, as well as its Business School. Uniquely, Emory students are required to take two physical education courses, regardless if they participate in athletics.
Location: Gambier, Ohio
Acceptance Rate: 37%
Well known for its English Language and Literature program, Kenyon College is a liberal arts college located in the small town of Gambier, Ohio. It is also known for its literary magazine, the Kenyon Review.
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Exclusively undergraduate, Macalester College is a liberal arts college located between the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Malcaster has no application fee, a quality many applicants find attractive.
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Acceptance Rate: 17.69% (Class of 2026)
With approximately 50,000 students, the University of Michigan is one of the largest New Ivies. It is currently ranked the third best public university in the country. Learn more about UMichigan in our complete guide to the University.
Location: New York, New York
Better known as NYU, New York University is located centrally in the bustling metropolis of New York City. NYU boasts more international students than any other American University, so you can count on a diverse student body in a vibrant city. To learn our expert tips on building an excellent NYU application, read our NYU guide.
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Acceptance Rate: 19% (Class of 2025)
The first public university in the country, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a well respected college with the highest acceptance rate of any of the New Ivies.
It is part of the ‘research triangle’ of schools whose students are known for their research and entrepreneurship. Home of the Tar Heels, the school is also well known for its basketball team and supportive fans.
Location: South Bend, Indiana
Notre Dame is a research university that prides itself on its Catholic roots. According to the school's website, “Notre Dame’s Catholic character informs all it does.” Over half of its students spend at least a semester studying abroad, and it is ranked #25 by U.S. News for best study abroad programs.
Location: Needham, Massachusetts
Acceptance Rate: 18% (Class of 2026)
As the name suggests, Olin College of Engineering focuses on training the next generation of engineers. The school has an undergraduate body of fewer than 450 students, so is a great potential fit for students who want an intimate college experience.
Location: Portland, Oregon
Acceptance Rate: 30.8% (Class of 2026)
Located in the northwest of the country, Reed College is a liberal arts and sciences college. Referred to affectionately as ‘reedies,’ all students undertake a yearlong humanities course and complete a senior thesis.
Location: Troy, New York
Acceptance Rate: 53% (Class of 2026)
America’s oldest technological research university, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was founded in 1824. The university offers various degrees, but there is a focus on science and technology. The school is located in the rural town of Troy and overlooks the Hudson river.
Location: Houston, Texas
Rice University is located in Huston’s museum district, an area widely considered the cultural heart of the city. A small university with a research focus, the student body is made up of about eight thousand students, of which almost half are postgraduates.
Location: Rochester, New York
Acceptance Rate: 38.7% (Class of 2026)
The University of Rochester is yet another New Ivy located in New York state. Located on Lake Ontario, Rochester is a mid-sized city and allows students to have both a city and rural college experience. The University of Rochester is a research university that prides itself on its collegiate nature.
Location: Saratoga Springs, New York
Acceptance Rate: 26% (Class of 2026)
Skidmore College is a small liberal arts college that’s proud of its commitment to green living and sustainability and has various ways for students to get involved and improve their green living habits.
Location: Medford, Massachusetts
Acceptance Rate: 9.5%
Located in the Greater Boston Area, Tufts University is a research university well known for its innovative research programs, and also boasts the country’s oldest school of international relations program. The University accepted a record low of 9.5% of applicants to the class of 2027, dipping further than the previous year’s record low of 9.7%
Location: Los Angeles, California
Acceptance Rate: 9.9%
The University of Southern California attracts applicants both for its academic excellence and its idyllic location in Los Angeles. Students can explore more than 150 majors at USC. The college is well-known for its multiple schools, including the School of Cinematic Arts.
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Acceptance Rate: Approximately 5.61%
Vanderbilt is ranked highly both for its academics and its financial aid program. Vanderbilt Opportunities is a program designed to make the university’s world class education accessible for all, and will meet 100% of a student's demonstrated financial need.
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Acceptance Rate: 27% (in-state) and 12% (out-of-state)
Founded by Thomas Jefferson, the University of Virginia is a public university located in suburban Charlottesville. There is a mid-sized student body of approximately 17,000 undergraduates and an active Greek Life, so is a great prospect for students looking to join a sorority or fraternity.
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Acceptance Rate: 11% (Class of 2026)
Known largely for its computer science, engineering and science programs, Washington University in St. Louis has a choice of over 1,500 courses. A city campus, students can immerse themselves in the vibrant city of St. Louis and the academic excellence of the university.
Like their Ivy League namesakes, New Ivies are highly competitive and selective schools. Their acceptance rates are higher than Ivy Leagues like Harvard and Yale, but the majority still sit well below 50%.
To be considered a competitive applicant for most of the New Ivies, your SAT score should be well above a 1400, and ideally in the 1500 range. For students taking the ACT, a score in the 30s can help bolster your application.
The middle 50% SAT and ACT scores of successful 2022 applicants to Colby College, one of the New Ivies with the lowest acceptance rates, was 1430-1540 and 32-34, respectively.
Competitive schools are looking for well rounded applicants who not only have excellent academic records, but have been involved in extracurriculars and have interests outside of school. Putting together a strong and compelling application is very important, so make sure you take the necessary time on all of your applications.
Finally, it is important to remember that every school considers different factors when looking at applicants. Doing proper research on what is required by each school is important.
Sending the same generic application to multiple schools tells the admissions officers that you either didn’t read the requirements properly, or that you simply don’t care enough to put in the effort.
Some of the most frequent questions about the New Ivies are what the name actually means, and how difficult they are to get into.
The new Ivy League is an unofficial group of 25 schools who are not members of the Ivy League, but that are well regarded for their academic excellence and high rankings in the United States and abroad.
New Ivy refers to a university that is not a member of the Ivy League but that is still considered an excellent and highly ranked school. New Ivies typically have higher admission rates than Ivy League schools, but are still competitive and selective institutions.
When applying to any school, it is important to consider if the school is the right fit for you. While all excellent schools, the 25 New Ivy schools all offer something different to students.
It is important to consider not only academic excellence, but also student life, location and programs offered when deciding on the right school for you. Doing your own research can help you find the one that best fits what you want out of your college experience; it’s an important part of the application process.
The New Ivies provide an opportunity for students to receive world class education at institutions who are not not members of the Ivy League, and this list is a great place to begin your research.
