Public Ivies: What are they?

Hey everyone! I've heard the term 'Public Ivies' thrown around a lot lately, but I'm not exactly sure what it means. Could someone please explain what Public Ivies are and which schools are considered to be part of this group? Thanks in advance!

Hi there! The term "Public Ivies" refers to public research universities in the United States that provide an Ivy League-like education at a more affordable, public school price. These schools are known for their strong academics, impressive graduation rates, and competitive admissions processes. The term was coined in 1985 by Richard Moll in his book "Public Ivies: A Guide to America's Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities."

The original list of Public Ivies consisted of eight schools:

1. College of William & Mary in Virginia

2. Miami University in Ohio

3. University of California (at various campuses, especially Berkeley and UCLA)

4. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

5. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill

6. University of Texas at Austin

7. University of Vermont

8. University of Virginia

Since then, the list has grown, and various sources have expanded it to include additional schools. Some other schools that are commonly considered Public Ivies are:

1. University of Florida

2. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

3. Indiana University Bloomington

4. University of Maryland, College Park

5. Michigan State University

6. University of Wisconsin-Madison

7. Pennsylvania State University

8. University of Pittsburgh

9. University of Washington

10. State University of New York at Binghamton

11. State University of New York at Stony Brook

12. The Ohio State University

13. University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Keep in mind that the expanded list of Public Ivies isn't universally recognized or agreed upon, but all of these schools consistently rank high in various college rankings and provide excellent undergraduate experiences.

For more on Public Ivies, check out this CollegeVine article: https://blog.collegevine.com/should-you-apply-to-public-ivy-league-schools

Overall, Public Ivies are known for offering a quality education and resources similar to those found in the Ivy League, but at a public-school price point. While the experience and environment at these universities might be different from what you'd find at a private Ivy, they certainly provide excellent opportunities and rigorous academics.