What are the top 10 universities in the USA?

[Anonymous]

HYPSM — these top 5 are a cut above the rest. While H wins in lay prestige (and is therefore more responsive to the question), my personal list is YPH based on alums I know personally and strength in fields of interest.

Penn — next best all-rounder + Wharton

Columbia — another next best all-rounder

Chicago — Econ, Midwest

Cornell — Ivy

Berkeley — feel like it needs to be here because it has a lot of cultural significance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The definitive guide for the top 7 universities in the USA:

1. Harvard
2. Stanford
3. MIT
4. Yale
5. Princeton
6. Columbia
7. Penn


After #7, there doesn't appear to be a consensus for #8 - #10. Perhaps Caltech, Brown, and Cornell?

Top 5 (HYPSM) are definitive, but not top 7. Many would place Caltech, or even UChicago, above Columbia and Penn.

1. Harvard / Stanford
3. Yale / Princeton / MIT
6. Columbia / UChicago / Caltech
9. Penn / Northwestern / Duke

That would be my list.

HYPSM are arguably interchangeable. They are the elite of the elite. Columbia is ahead of Chicago. Penn and Duke ahead of Northwestern.

1. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT
6. Columbia
7. Penn
8. Duke
9. Caltech
10. Chicago

I agree with your list except for Duke - it's a fantastic university, but not sure if I'd unilaterally put it above Caltech or Chicago (or Northwestern, for that matter). I'd scoot Caltech/Chicago up and place Northwestern or Cornell or Hopkins at the no. 10 spot.

Might agree with moving Duke on the same line as Caltech and Chicago but not below it. I know there are many Duke haters but it is still a fantastic university as you say. Northwestern would not make my top 10 but certainly somewhere 11-15. One could argue Hopkins deserves top 10 status but still perceive them as somewhere 11-15. Cornell just outside the top 10 as well.

FWIW My Updated List:
1. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT
6. Columbia
7. Penn
8. Duke, Caltech, Chicago
---------
11. Hopkins
12. Brown
13. Dartmouth
14. Northwestern
15. Cornell

Ok, deal. Done!

Duke should be ranked alongside Cornell. Also Hopkins too high

15 is way too low of a rank for Duke.
Hopkins belongs somewhere 11-13.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just look at US News & World Report and be done with it.

I don’t think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My take

1. HYPSM
2. Caltech, Columbia, Chicago
3. Northwestern, Duke
4. Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell
5. JHU

Not bad if you insert Penn somewhere in there. Likely line 2 or line 3 at worst.

+1 Penn deserves to be at the end of line 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My take

1. HYPSM
2. Caltech, Columbia, Chicago
3. Northwestern, Duke
4. Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell
5. JHU

Not bad if you insert Penn somewhere in there. Likely line 2 or line 3 at worst.

+1 Penn deserves to be at the end of line 2.

Wharton should be 2 but UPenn CAS is a 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harvard
Yale
Stanford
Princeton
MIT
Caltech
Columbia
Penn
Chicago
Northwestern

+1 This is the first list posted and might be the best except I would put Hopkins or Duke in the 10th spot over Northwestern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard
Yale
Stanford
Princeton
MIT
Caltech
Columbia
Penn
Chicago
Northwestern

+1 This is the first list posted and might be the best except I would put Hopkins or Duke in the 10th spot over Northwestern.

I could maybe see Duke on this list, but I disagree with Hopkins above Northwestern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just look at US News & World Report and be done with it.

I don’t think so.

Why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard
Yale
Stanford
Princeton
MIT
Caltech
Columbia
Penn
Chicago
Northwestern

+1 This is the first list posted and might be the best except I would put Hopkins or Duke in the 10th spot over Northwestern.

I could maybe see Duke on this list, but I disagree with Hopkins above Northwestern.

I don't think either Duke or JHU belong in top 10 over Northwestern. I'd say Northwestern ~ Duke > JHU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My take

1. HYPSM
2. Caltech, Columbia, Chicago
3. Northwestern, Duke
4. Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell
5. JHU

Not bad if you insert Penn somewhere in there. Likely line 2 or line 3 at worst.

+1 Penn deserves to be at the end of line 2.

Wharton should be 2 but UPenn CAS is a 3.

Agree with this list and placement for Wharton/rest of Penn

[Anonymous]

1. HYPSM
2. Caltech, Columbia, Chicago, Wharton
3. Northwestern, Duke, Penn (ex Wharton)
4. Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell
5. JHU

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just look at US News & World Report and be done with it.

I don’t think so.

Why not?

I agree USNews is a good proxy. I think JHU is a bit overranked though. Take out their med programs, and everything else is kind of bleh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The definitive guide for the top 7 universities in the USA:

1. Harvard
2. Stanford
3. MIT
4. Yale
5. Princeton
6. Columbia
7. Penn


After #7, there doesn't appear to be a consensus for #8 - #10. Perhaps Caltech, Brown, and Cornell?

Top 5 (HYPSM) are definitive, but not top 7. Many would place Caltech, or even UChicago, above Columbia and Penn.

1. Harvard / Stanford
3. Yale / Princeton / MIT
6. Columbia / UChicago / Caltech
9. Penn / Northwestern / Duke

That would be my list.

HYPSM are arguably interchangeable. They are the elite of the elite. Columbia is ahead of Chicago. Penn and Duke ahead of Northwestern.

1. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT
6. Columbia
7. Penn
8. Duke
9. Caltech
10. Chicago

I agree with your list except for Duke - it's a fantastic university, but not sure if I'd unilaterally put it above Caltech or Chicago (or Northwestern, for that matter). I'd scoot Caltech/Chicago up and place Northwestern or Cornell or Hopkins at the no. 10 spot.

Might agree with moving Duke on the same line as Caltech and Chicago but not below it. I know there are many Duke haters but it is still a fantastic university as you say. Northwestern would not make my top 10 but certainly somewhere 11-15. One could argue Hopkins deserves top 10 status but still perceive them as somewhere 11-15. Cornell just outside the top 10 as well.

FWIW My Updated List:
1. Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT
6. Columbia
7. Penn
8. Duke, Caltech, Chicago
---------
11. Hopkins
12. Brown
13. Dartmouth
14. Northwestern
15. Cornell

Ok, deal. Done!

Duke should be ranked alongside Cornell. Also Hopkins too high

15 is way too low of a rank for Duke.
Hopkins belongs somewhere 11-13.

I don't really see Duke being in top 10 though. Somewhere in 11-13 range alongside Hopkins

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just look at US News & World Report and be done with it.

I don’t think so.

Why not?

I agree USNews is a good proxy. I think JHU is a bit overranked though. Take out their med programs, and everything else is kind of bleh

take out Penn's business program, take out Chicago's Econ program, take out MITs engineering program.... most schools have strengths

[Anonymous]

Segmentation for elite US colleges

Tier A+: Harvard, Stanford
Tier A: Yale, Princeton, MIT
Tier A-: Columbia, Caltech

Tier B+: Penn, Chicago
Tier B: Northwestern, Duke, Dartmouth, Brown
Tier B-: Cornell, Johns Hopkins