<ol>
<li>Cornell</li>
<li>UChicago</li>
<li>Northwestern</li>
<li>Hopkins</li>
<li>WUSTL</li>
<li>Georgetown</li>
</ol>
<p>I feel it’s only right that I continue to defend WashU since it seems to be getting pretty beat up in this thread 
I would go on to talk about how the actual college experience at WashU is probably on par or better than most of the colleges listed, but that would digress from the original point of this thread. </p>
<p>Side question: I know WashU used to be on the level of CMU, Emory, etc. maybe 10-15 years ago? is that right? I wasn’t keeping track of USNWR back then since I was only 5 years old, lol, but am i right that WashU has made significant improvement over the last 10 years? When do you think its prestige will catch up to the academic improvements it has made? and will it continue improving (not necessarily “pass/beat” schools in rankings, but overall just improving education)</p>