<p>Please advise top 10 universities in US</p>
<p>That is not an easy question. In my opinion, the US has at least 18 universities that could claim to be “top 10” in the US. That list includes the following:
[ul][<em>]Brown University
[</em>]California Institute of Technology
[<em>]Columbia University
[</em>]Cornell University
[<em>]Dartmouth College
[</em>]Duke University
[<em>]Harvard University
[</em>]Johns Hopkins University
[<em>]Massachusetts Institute of Technology
[</em>]Northwestern University
[<em>]Princeton University
[</em>]Stanford University
[<em>]University of California-Berkeley
[</em>]University of California-Los Angeles
[<em>]University of Chicago
[</em>]University of Michigan
[<em>]University of Pennsylvania
[</em>]Yale University[/ul]
Which ones make the top 10 depends on how one measures them – different rankings select different factors. They are all excellent. </p>
<p>Anyway, this is not a useful question. What you should be asking is this: “What are the top 10 universities for me?” Everyone is looking for different things in a university, and not everyone needs or wants to attend the same universities. For example, Emory, Georgetown, and Chicago are excellent universities but are not good choices for someone interested in engineering. </p>
<p>You would get better responses if you gave us more information.
[ul][<em>]How much can you afford to pay?
[</em>]Do you care how big the universities are?
[*]Would you prefer to stay in a big city, or are you okay with universities in small towns?[/ul]</p>
<p>In my opinion Undeniably the top 8 are </p>
<p>California Institute of Technology
Columbia University
Harvard University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton University
Stanford
University of Chicago
Yale University</p>
<p>Beyond that 9-18 are debatable.</p>
<p>The “Top Ten” is really quite hard to determine, but I’d say (in no particular order):</p>
<p>Harvard University
Yale University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stanford University
Princeton University
University of Chicago
Columbia University
California Institute of Technology
Dartmouth College
University of Pennsylvania</p>
<p>
Top 10 by what criteria? Undergrad or Grad? You’ll get different answers depending on LAC, best buy, research emphasis, field of study, etc. For example, I wouldn’t include Harvard, Yale, or Princeton in a top 10 list for engineering, but would include other schools not mentioned in the posts above, like GeorgiaTech. There isn’t enough information to make a list.</p>
<p>I think they are referring to Gen. undergraduate universities</p>
<p>Warblersrule’s post #2 is perfect. I agree entirely with his assessment. There are over 2,000 accredited universities in the US. There is no way one can clearly differentiate between #10 and #11. Therefore, there is no such thing as a definite top 10 list. If one where to consider the best research universities, each member of his list of 18 can make a legitimate claim at top 10 honors.</p>
<p>Here are the top 14 universities if you want to major in mining engineering:</p>
<p>Colorado School of Mines
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Formerly University of Missouri-Rolla)
Montana Tech of the University of Montana (Formerly Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology)
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Pennsylvania State University
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Arizona
University of Kentucky
University of Nevada - Reno
University of Utah
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
West Virginia University</p>
<p>[Which</a> Universities Are Ranked Highest by College Officials? - Morse Code: Inside the College Rankings (usnews.com)](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-rankings-blog/2013/02/28/which-universities-are-ranked-highest-by-college-officials]Which”>http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-rankings-blog/2013/02/28/which-universities-are-ranked-highest-by-college-officials)</p>
<ol>
<li>Harvard, MIT, Stanford</li>
<li>Princeton, Yale </li>
<li>Berkeley</li>
<li>Caltech, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins</li>
</ol>
<p>“If one where to consider the best research universities, each member of his list of 18 can make a legitimate claim at top 10 honors.”</p>
<p>I agree. However, amoung those 18 there are some that are, in my opinion, undeniably top 10 research universities. This would include HYPSM at the very least and probably Columbia and Chicago too. Beyond that the remaining of the 18 can all make a bid for top 10 but aren’t undeniably top 10.</p>
<p>If we’re talking research university breadth and depth:
</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/princeton-university/1006939-princeton-2010-national-research-council-nrc-rankings-news-item.html?highlight=national+research+council[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/princeton-university/1006939-princeton-2010-national-research-council-nrc-rankings-news-item.html?highlight=national+research+council</a></p>
<p>If we consider an aggregate of selectivity, financial resources, student body strength, undergraduate learning opportunities, undergraduate academic reputation, and postgraduate outcomes (PHD production, Fellowship Production, TFA/Peace Corps recruitment, and Professional School placement), then we would arrive at the following 10 research universities…</p>
<ol>
<li>Harvard</li>
<li>Stanford</li>
<li>Yale</li>
<li>MIT</li>
<li>Princeton</li>
<li>University of Chicago</li>
<li>Columbia University</li>
<li>Duke University</li>
<li>University of Pennsylvania</li>
<li>Dartmouth College</li>
</ol>
<p>This list is strictly for undergraduate education and for graduate/professional school education, this list would expand or change depending on the type of field you are seeking to enter.</p>
<p>"Which Universities Are Ranked Highest by College Officials? - Morse Code: Inside the College Rankings (usnews.com)</p>
<ol>
<li>Harvard, MIT, Stanford</li>
<li>Princeton, Yale </li>
<li>Berkeley</li>
<li>Caltech, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins"</li>
</ol>
<p>That looks like a pretty good top ten list to me.</p>
<p>“1. Harvard
2. Stanford
3. Yale
4. MIT
5. Princeton
6. University of Chicago
7. Columbia University
8. Duke University
9. University of Pennsylvania
10. Dartmouth”</p>
<p>I’d agree with this.</p>
<p>Dartmouth? They don’t even call themselves a university. Maybe for a LAC list.</p>
<p>I’m amazed how often the folks on CC get sucked into this ridiculous question!</p>
<p>I agree that there are far too many universities, and too many elite ones, in the U.S. to answer the vague question ‘which universities are the top 10 in the U.S.?’</p>
<p>Even the main USNWR ranking is a ranking of the best universities in the U.S. for undergraduate education. Other rankings for particular graduate programs are specified as such. E.g. The best graduate econ. programs might be at Harvard, MIT, and Chicago; the best university hospitals would include Hopkins, UCLA, and WUSTL; The best law schools are Yale, Stanford, and Harvard; All of these universities have their own specialties, although some have more than others. All are excellent universities. </p>
<p>IMO, the only clearly top universities are HYPSM. Others (e.g. internationals) might add Berkeley to the aforementioned schools; for others more, it would be HYPSM plus Caltech, or the HYPSM + Chicago and Columbia. It’s far too difficult to come up with a ‘top 10’ list without any criteria whatsoever.</p>
<p>I agree with BigDaddy88.</p>
<p>There is no way to determine something so subjective as the “quality” of an undergraduate education. The only way to come up with a list of top ten colleges is to be specific and use one set of objective data. We do know or could probably find out what the top ten colleges are in the following areas: Top ten for production of Rhodes/Marshall/Fulbright scholars. Top ten for endowment. Top ten for production of college professors/physicians/attorneys/Nobel winners – pick your category. Top ten for NCAA championships. Top ten for production of Peace Corps volunteers. Even so, would we use the actual number or a per capita measure? Also, would we look back over the past 100 years or would we restrict our results to the last 20?</p>
<p>The only list of top ten colleges that really matters is a student’s own personal list of top ten that he/she thinks would be the best fit.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>And how, pray tell, would you know that? Or did you post the question under another name? </p>
<p>Really, why would anyone request such a vague, unqualified opinion unless he were looking to stroke his ego or impress his friends/family members?</p>
<p>USNWR is a pretty solid reference point for undergraduate education. It’s top 10 is probably the most deserving all things considered. It’s tough to argue that Northwestern or Hopkins deserve to be ranked above Penn or Duke for instance.</p>
<p>For graduate education, please refer to the USNWR doctoral ranking for your particular field of interest.</p>