Before throwing their caps into the air, students always wonder where they will land. In other words, each high school student will someday have to make a choice about college. Picking a university can be a tedious task. Emails and letters come pouring in claiming that their college is the best. But is that true? U.S News ranked universities on various qualities that one considers including the location and feel of campus life; the range of academic offerings, the activities and sports; and the cost and availability of financial aid. If you are searching for some of the most prestigious universities in the U.S, here are the top eleven for the 2015-2016 school year.

10. (Tie) Johns Hopkins University and California Institute of Technology

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, and a private institution, John Hopkins is well-known for its medical research.  It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,469 and its tuition and fees are $48,710.  

The California Institute of Technology focuses on education in science and engineering. This university in Pasadena, California is also private school with a total undergraduate enrollment of 983.  Its tuition and fees are $45,390.

9. University of Pennsylvania

Founded by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania is a private institution that is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students can study in one of four schools: Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Wharton.  It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 9,746 and a total of $49,536 for the tuition and fees.

8. Duke University

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is also a private institution that has liberal arts and engineering programs for undergraduates.  The most popular majors at Duke University include Economics, Biology/Biological Sciences, Public Policy Analysis, and Psychology. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,626 and its tuition and fees are $49,341.

7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just across the Charles River from downtown Boston. It is best known for its valuable education in math, science, and engineering. Its undergraduate enrollment total is 4,512 and the total tuition and fees is $46,704.

4. (Tie) University of Chicago, Stanford University, and Columbia University

The University of Chicago, situated in Chicago, Illinois offers a rich campus life in a big-city setting.  Mathematics and Statistics, Political Science and Government, and English Language and Literature/Letters are some of the most popular majors. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,681 and a tuition fee of $50,193. 

The sunny campus of Stanford University is located in California’s Bay Area. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,019. A few of the numerous majors include Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The total tuition and fees is $46,320.

Columbia University is a prestigious private school located in New York, New York. Some majors offered here are Social Sciences, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and Psychology. The total undergraduate enrollment is 6,170 students and its tuition and fees are $51,008.

3. Yale University

Yale is situated in New Haven, Connecticut, and known for its excellent drama and music programs. Total Tuition and fees is $47,600 and total undergraduate enrollment is 5,477.

2. Harvard University

This Ivy League school is the oldest higher education institution in the country. It is located outside of Boston, Massachusetts.  Social Sciences, Biology/Biological Sciences, and History are widely studied majors there. Its tuition and fees are $45,278 and it has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,694.

1. Princeton University

Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. It has the strengths of a major research university with the qualities of an outstanding liberal arts college. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,391 and tuition and fees are $ 43,450.

Citation:

Briana Boyinton. “Explore the 2016 Best National Universities.” US News Education. U.S.News & World Report, 8 Sept. 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.