The term ‘Ivy League college’ will instill a certain level of respect, prestige, and class in anybody who hears it. In the United States, Ivy League colleges are seen as the best academic institutions. This means thousands of students spend their entire high school lives working hard to be accepted into one. 

However, far fewer people know what public and little Ivy colleges are. This article will discuss exactly what these institutions are and why they should be just as respected as regular Ivy League colleges. More so, we will mention a few examples of each type of school. 

What Are Ivy League Colleges?

In short, Ivy league colleges are extremely high-end colleges that can be found in the United States. They are known for their unbelievably high academic results, considerable funding, and grand facilities. To be accepted into one of these schools, students need to have an almost perfect GPA. On average, only about 6% of applicants are approved. 

When it comes to public and little Ivies, the schools are also extraordinarily prestigious and hard to get into. This category includes several public schools, liberal arts schools, and other top-tier academies. 

The Public Ivies

Public Ivies are known for offering Ivy-league education at a public school price. While they may not be as old or as grand as the Ivies, they are still outstanding schools that produce excellent results from their students. 

A few public Ivies include William & Mary, UC Berkeley, the University of Michigan, UCLA, and the University of Virginia. It is said that these schools match the academic quality of the actual Ivies, making them some of the best colleges in the world. One of the most significant differences between the two is that public Ivies receive smaller endowments and accept more students. 

The Little Ivies

On the other hand, little Ivy schools consist of private liberal arts colleges. These schools also offer academic rigor and very selective admissions, similar to actual Ivy League colleges. Examples of little Ivy colleges include Amherst College, Vassar College, and several schools outside New England. 

One of the most significant differences between little Ivies and the normal Ivies is that these schools admit far fewer students. While Ivy League colleges sometimes accept around 8,000 students, these institutions usually only approve 1800 applications. 

Concluding Thoughts

Public and little Ivy colleges often produce the same level of academic excellence as actual Ivy League schools. However, public Ivies accept far more students and do not receive as much funding. Little Ivies consist of smaller liberal arts schools, such as Bowdoin and Amherst College.