Washington University in St. Louis of USA

Washington University in St. Louis is a private institution that was founded in 1853. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,336, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 169 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Washington University in St. Louis's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 14. Its tuition and fees are $46,467 (2014-15).

Washington University in St. Louis is located in a city that offers professional sports in football, baseball and hockey in addition to a wide range of options for dining and entertainment. The Wash U Bears are members of the NCAA Division III University Athletic Association. Freshmen are required to live on campus in one of the residence houses. After freshman year, students can choose to live in suite-style housing, on-campus apartments, fraternity houses or off-campus apartments and homes. Approximately 25 percent of students are affiliated with Greek life at Wash U.

Wash U is divided four schools that serve undergraduate and graduate students and four graduate schools. Among Wash U’s graduate programs are the top-ranked George Warren Brown School of Social Work, the highly ranked Olin Business School,School of Law, School of Medicine, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, School of Engineering and Applied Science and a graduate program in education. The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum on Wash U’s campus houses one of the most distinguished university collections in the country, including works from Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock. Actor Peter Sarsgaard graduated from Wash U, as did former FBI Director William H. Webster. Wash U’s Barnes-Jewish Hospital is one of the top-ranked hospitals in the country.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Washington University in St. Louis is a research university that offers a unique environment for undergraduate students to learn and grow. Unparalleled curriculum flexibility and learning opportunities in a friendly and supportive community inspire undergraduates to explore their interests and develop new ones. Working with their advisors, undergraduates may choose a traditional single major, as many do. Others combine majors with minors, second majors, and pre-professional programs -- all within their four-year undergraduate experience. We encourage our students to participate in internships, study abroad programs, research and scholarship, and over 300 clubs and organizations, rounding out Washington University's commitment to help each student identify and pursue his or her passion. Our students pursue their passions every day. Visit campus and ask them about their experiences.

Campus Box 1089, 1 Brookings Drive

St. Louis, MO 63130-4899

Phone: (314) 935-5000

2014-2015 Tuition & Fees

$46,467

Students

7,336 enrolled

49% male / 51% female

Admissions

Jan. 15 application deadline

15.6% accepted

Johns Hopkins University in USA

Johns Hopkins University is a private institution that was founded in 1876. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,251 and the campus size is 140 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Johns Hopkins University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 12. Its tuition and fees are $47,060 (2014-15).

Johns Hopkins University has four main campuses in and around Baltimore. The Homewood Campus, located next to the eclectic neighborhood of Charles Village, is the primary campus for undergraduates, and three other campuses house various graduate schools. Hopkins also has three additional campuses for its School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C.; Bologna, Italy; and Nanjing, China. The Hopkins Blue Jays compete in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference, but they are perhaps best known for their consistently dominant men’s lacrosse team, which competes in NCAA Division I competitions. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live in on-campus residences. There is a sizeable Greek community with a membership of more than 1,000 students.

Johns Hopkins University is divided into nine schools, five of which serve undergraduate and graduate students. Hopkins’ graduate programs include the top ranked Bloomberg School of Public Health and the highly ranked School of Education, Whiting School of Engineering, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, SAIS and the well-regarded Peabody Institute for music and dance. Johns Hopkins Hospital is the top-ranked overall hospital in the nation, with the majority of its specialties ranked in the top five. Former U.S. president Woodrow Wilson, former president of the NAACP Kweisi Mfume and businessman and the 108th Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg all received degrees from Hopkins.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Johns Hopkins students are passionate about intellectual exploration; they are eager for life in a community of similarly passionate, equally ambitious scholars and teachers. This community is based at Homewood, a serene, tree-lined 140 acre campus next to the eclectic north Baltimore neighborhood of Charles Village. Here, students partner with their mentors to push the boundaries of knowledge. Johns Hopkins exposes these independent thinkers to new tools of analysis and new perspectives on the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences and engineering. At the same time, they engage with fellow students outside the classroom in intellectual, cultural, service and recreational pursuits that greatly enrich their education. When our students graduate, they join a global alumni body of men and women who use knowledge and experience acquired at Johns Hopkins to change the world.

3400 N. Charles Street

Baltimore, MD 21218

Phone: (410) 516-8000

2014-2015 Tuition & Fees

$47,060

Students

6,251 enrolled

48% male / 52% female

Admissions

Jan. 1 application deadline

17.1% accepted

Northwestern University in USA

Northwestern University is a private institution that was founded in 1851. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,688, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 231 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. Northwestern University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 13. Its tuition and fees are $47,251 (2014-15).

What began as farmland and swampland in the 1850s became the Northwestern campus and the city of Evanston, Ill. Northwestern University is a Division I school in the Big Ten athletic conference. Northwestern's women's lacrosse team has won multiple NCAA national championships. The school has hundreds of campus organizations fulfill students' varied interests. Freshmen are guaranteed on-campus housing if requested in their applications. The school's 11 residential colleges offer thematic living quarters for social and academic programming. Northwestern's main campuses are located along Lake Michigan in Evanston and Chicago. In 2008, Northwestern opened a third branch in Doha, Qatar.

Of Northwestern’s dozen schools, nine offer undergraduate programs and 10 offer graduate and professional programs. Northwestern’s highly-ranked graduate schools include the Kellogg School of Management, the School of Education and Social Policy, the School of Law, the Feinberg School of Medicine, the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and theInterdepartmental Biological Sciences Program. Northwestern’s Medill School is known for its strong journalism graduate program. Northwestern’s Dance Marathon, created in 1975, is one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the country and has raised more than $14 million for Chicago-area charities. Notable alumni include the 55th mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel; retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens; actor, writer and director Zach Braff; comedian Stephen Colbert; and Tony Award-winning actress Heather Headley.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Northwestern University offers unusual flexibility combined with a wide choice of academic concentrations. In addition to over seventy established majors, students can choose or design non-traditional combinations. A broad range of field experiences, internships, and programs combining work and study are part of the education for a large percentage of the students. Because Chicago is only thirty minutes away, students have the cultural advantage of the music, theatre, museums, sports, and entertainment of a world-class city to enrich their undergraduate experience.

633 Clark Street

Evanston, IL 60208

Phone: (847) 491-3741

2014-2015 Tuition & Fees

$47,251

Students

8,688 enrolled

49% male / 51% female

Admissions

Jan. 1 application deadline

14.0% accepted

Duke University in USA

Duke University is a private institution that was founded in 1838. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,646, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 8,709 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Duke University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 8. Its tuition and fees are $47,488 (2014-15).

Durham, North Carolina, which surrounds Duke's campus, offers a variety of activities including shopping, dining and entertainment. Its "Bull City" nickname comes from the Blackwell Tobacco Company's Bull Durham Tobacco. Students at Duke are required to live on campus for their first three years, and freshmen live together on the East Campus. The Duke Blue Devils maintain a fierce rivalry with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels and are best known for their outstanding men's basketball program, one of the top five winningest college basketball programs in the country. Approximately 30 percent of the student body is affiliated with Greek life, which encompasses more than 30 fraternities and sororities.

Duke University is divided into 10 schools and colleges, many of which serve both undergraduate and graduate students. Its graduate programs include the highly ranked Fuqua School of Business, Pratt School of Engineering, School of Law, School of Medicine, Sanford School of Public Policy and School of Nursing. Duke also offers graduate programs through its well-respected Divinity School and Nicholas School of the Environment. Duke's most esteemed undergraduate scholarship, the Robertson Scholars Program, provides approximately 18 students from each class with a monetary reward and the opportunity to study for a semester at UNC-Chapel Hill. Notable alumni include Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; NBA player Carlos Boozer; and former U.S. Congressman and three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school): 

Duke University offers a unique and compelling combination of academic achievement, engagement with society, and athletic accomplishment at the highest levels. A private comprehensive teaching and research university, Duke traces its roots to 1838, officially becoming Duke University in 1924. In addition to liberal arts and engineering education at the undergraduate level, Duke offers graduate and professional study in arts and sciences, business, divinity, engineering, the environment, law, public policy, medicine, and nursing. At the same time, Duke is an intimate setting, with 6,800 undergraduates and an additional 6,000 graduate and professional students.

Duke is a global university with students and faculty from nearly every country. We encourage students to go abroad to study, perform service and conduct research. About half of Duke's graduating class spends at least a semester in another country - one of the highest percentages of any of the nation's top private research universities. We offer instruction in 25 foreign languages. One of our most popular programs is DukeEngage, which supports undergraduates who want to pursue an immersive service experience in the U.S. or abroad. 

Duke is characterized by innovation, entrepreneurship, energy and ambition. Duke students have an unusually wide range of opportunities available to them and freedom in choosing the academic path that best meets their needs. Duke students are encouraged to make a difference, to experiment with ideas and organizations and they are challenged to become engaged with society's problems and solutions.

Our students spend four years on one of the most beautiful campuses in America -- soaring Gothic buildings, modern teaching and research facilities, lush botanical gardens, and accessible athletics and recreational spaces. Duke's home of Durham is a historic tobacco and textile hub that has emerged as the heart of North Carolina's hi-tech Research Triangle, and is consistently recognized as one of the most desirable and vibrant places to live in the country. Durham's arts, culture, recreation and restaurants have earned a national following, and the region provides numerous opportunities for post-graduate employment. 

Duke students exhibit legendary passion and enthusiasm. Duke's athletic program is regularly ranked among the nation's strongest and most competitive, with some of the country's most talented scholar-athletes and dedicated fans: the Cameron Crazies. A member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Duke has thirteen men's varsity teams and thirteen women's varsity teams as well as numerous intramural, recreational, and club sports. Duke consistently leads the ACC in Academic Honor Roll students and is a top producer of Academic All Americans. 

The residential experience is an important component of a Duke education. About 85 percent of all undergraduates live on campus. First-year students live together on East Campus, where about a quarter of them participate in FOCUS, a living/learning program organized around academic themes, which gives them immediate access to faculty mentoring and a smaller community of students they get to know well. 

Duke is one of a small number of schools committed to a need-blind admission policy, which means we admit undergraduates without consideration of a family's ability to pay tuition and other college costs and meet 100 percent of a student's demonstrated financial need for four years. About 54 percent of our undergraduates receive some sort of financial assistance, including need-based aid, merit or athletic scholarships.

With the rigorous academics, the plethora of social and artistic activities, the immersive service and cultural opportunities and the occasional basketball game in Cameron Indoor Stadium, the most important things students need to bring with them to Duke are energy and intellectual curiosity. 

2138 Campus Drive, Box 90586

Durham, NC 27708

Phone: (919) 684-8111

2014-2015 Tuition & Fees

$47,488

Students

6,646 enrolled

50% male / 50% female

Admissions

Jan. 2 application deadline

12.4% accepted

Dartmouth College under National University in USA

Dartmouth College is a private institution that was founded in 1769. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,276, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 200 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. Dartmouth College's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 11. Its tuition and fees are $48,108 (2014-15).

Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, offers a wide range of student activities. Nearly 25 percent of students participate in Dartmouth's NCAA Division I varsity sports. More than 90 percent of students live in on-campus housing, which includes residence halls, fraternity and sorority houses, college-approved coeds and undergraduate societies. Approximately 60 percent of students are members of Greek organizations, which serve as the hubs of social life at Dartmouth. The Outing Club – the oldest and largest collegiate outing club in the country – is the most popular student organization at Dartmouth, offering outdoor activities, expeditions, gear rentals and courses.

Dartmouth College is comprised of the undergraduate arts and sciences and engineering departments and four graduate programs, which include the highly ranked Tuck School of Business, Thayer School of Engineering and Geisel School of Medicine. The Carnegie Foundation has classified Dartmouth as a university with "very high research activity." More than 50 percent of students participate in the many off-campus programs offered in more than 20 countries around the world. Distinguished Dartmouth alumni include Theodor Geisel (well known as Dr. Seuss), creator of the television show "Grey's Anatomy" Shonda Rhimes and former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner. The classic comedy film "Animal House" is loosely based on a series of stories from a fraternity at Dartmouth.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is one of the oldest and most respected institutions of higher learning in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Dartmouth has a long history of dedication to the highest educational ideals. With its world-class faculty and facilities, and nationally and internationally renowned graduate programs in engineering, business, medicine and the arts & sciences, the school has resources that very few universities can match. In addition, by maintaining a highly flexible quarter-system calendar, and allowing only faculty to teach its undergraduate courses, Dartmouth assures that students have complete and timely access to all that the institution has to offer. Faculty: The professors at Dartmouth are among the leaders in their fields, yet they remain fully committed to teaching. Even the most senior professors teach first-year courses. Recipients of more than $199 million in annual research grants and consistently ranked among the most respected teachers in American higher education, Dartmouth professors are true exemplars of the phrase teacher-scholar. Through course-related discussions, research collaborations, and casual conversation, students get to know their professors as instructors, mentors, colleagues, and friends. Undergraduate Students: Dartmouth students come from 50 states and more than 79 countries. The population is divided almost evenly between men and women. More than a third of the students identify themselves as students of color (34%) or non-US citizens (9%). Almost half (47%)of the students receive some form of need-based financial assistance to cover the cost of their education. Dartmouth disburses more than $91 million in need-based aid each year. Prior to Dartmouth, 55% of the students attended public secondary schools and 45% attended private or parochial schools. Once on campus, they take full advantage of the academic resources Dartmouth has to offer, and get involved in the more than 300 officially recognized organizations.

6016 McNutt Hall

Hanover, NH 03755

Phone: (603) 646-1110

2014-2015 Tuition & Fees

$48,108

Students

4,276 enrolled

51% male / 49% female

Admissions

Jan. 1 application deadline

10.4% accepted

Princeton University is one of the best in USA

Princeton University is a private institution that was founded in 1746. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,323, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 600 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Princeton University's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 1. Its tuition and fees are $41,820 (2014-15).

Princeton, the fourth-oldest college in the United States, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Within the walls of its historic ivy-covered campus, Princeton offers a number of events, activities and organizations. The Princeton Tigers, members of the Ivy League, are well known for their consistently strong men's and women's lacrosse teams. Students live in one of six residential colleges that provide a residential community as well as dining services but have the option to join one of more than 10 eating clubs for their junior and senior years. The eating clubs serve as social and dining organizations for the students who join them. Princeton's unofficial motto, "In the Nation's Service and in the Service of All Nations," speaks to the university's commitment to community service.

Princeton includes highly ranked graduate programs through theWoodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs andSchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences. One unique aspect of Princeton's academic program is that all undergraduate students are required to write a senior thesis. Notable alumni include U.S. President Woodrow Wilson; John Forbes Nash, subject of the 2001 film "A Beautiful Mind"; model/actress Brooke Shields; and first lady Michelle Obama. According to Princeton legend, if a student exits campus through FitzRandolph Gate prior to graduation, he or she may be cursed never to graduate.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Princeton University is unique in combining the strengths of a major research university with the qualities of an outstanding liberal arts college. Whether through independent study, student-initiated seminars, or lectures in emerging fields such as neuroscience, Princeton students have the flexibility to shape dynamic academic programs that prepare them for leadership and lives of service. Through its groundbreaking financial aid program, Princeton ensures that all qualified students who are accepted can afford to attend the University.

Chartered in 1746, Princeton is renowned for its commitment to undergraduate teaching. Its faculty are known throughout the world and it is not unusual for students to learn from Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur fellows. Students benefit from small class sizes and one-on-one advising with faculty, particularly while doing independent work such as the senior thesis. All intellectual endeavors of Princeton's 5,320 degree-seeking undergraduate students are supported by a range of first-rate academic resources, such as libraries, laboratories, and even an art museum. The academic options at Princeton give students flexibility in pursuing their intellectual interests while working toward either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Students also may choose from among 47 interdisciplinary programs, creating combinations of academic interests. For example, a student might major in physics while also earning a certificate in Latin American studies.

The University is located in the town of Princeton, which has a diverse population of 30,000 residents and is situated between New York City and Philadelphia, with rail service to both cities. Princeton is a residential university that provides a welcoming environment, advising services, cultural and educational events, intramural sports, and more. As a residential community, Princeton provides housing for all four years. Princeton's six residential colleges offer settings where students quickly can become involved in campus activities. Students can participate in more than 250 student-run organizations, the arts, civic engagement, student government, religious groups, and athletics.

Princeton, NJ 08544

Phone: (609) 258-3000

2014-2015 Tuition & Fees

$41,820

Students

5,323 enrolled

51% male / 49% female

Admissions

Jan. 1 application deadline

7.4% accepted

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in USA

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1861. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,528, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 168 acres. It utilizes a 4-1-4-based academic calendar. Massachusetts Institute of Technology's ranking in the 2015 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 7. Its tuition and fees are $45,016 (2014-15).

MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, across the Charles River from downtown Boston. Only freshmen students are required to live on campus, but about 70 percent of students choose to remain on campus during their four years. MIT offers housing in one of the coolest dorms in the country, commonly called "The Sponge," designed by architect Steven Holl. The MIT Engineers boast more than 30 NCAA Division III teams, and their mascot is a beaver, which MIT chose because of its "remarkable engineering and mechanical skill and its habits of industry." Each class designs a unique ring called the "Brass Rat" that is revealed during sophomore year, a tradition that dates back to 1929.

MIT focuses on scientific and technological research and is divided into five schools and one college. Among its graduate schools are the highly ranked School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management, in addition to strong programs in economics,psychology, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics andmathematics. Research expenditures at MIT have typically exceeded $650 million each year, with funding coming from government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense. The "Independent Activities Program," a four-week term between fall and spring semesters in January, offers special courses, lectures, competitions and projects. Distinguished alumni include Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school): 

The essence of MIT is our appetite for problems-especially those big, intractable, complicated problems whose solutions make a permanent difference. While MIT is a research university committed to world-class inquiry in math, science, and engineering, MIT has equally distinguished programs in architecture, the humanities, management, and the social sciences. A diverse, supportive campus environment-with an incredible range of student groups and athletic and fitness opportunities-ensures that it's not all about the work. And in MIT's intensely creative atmosphere, the arts flourish in all their forms.

MIT admits some of the most talented students in the world on a need-blind basis. The Institute is committed to meeting the financial need of each admitted undergraduate student through MIT scholarships; the average student scholarship was 33,697 per year in 2013. As a result, the MIT community is incredibly diverse, and organically collaborative, with students coming from many different backgrounds, across the country and around the world.

Students are frequently encouraged to unite MIT's engineering excellence with public service. For example, the required senior capstone design course for mechanical engineering majors centers on making the world a better place through engineering. Recent years have focused on projects using alternative forms of energy, and machines that could be used for sustainable agriculture. Beyond academic coursework, MIT's D-Lab, Poverty Action Lab, and Public Service Center all support students and professors in the research and implementation of culturally sensitive and environmentally responsible technologies and programs that alleviate poverty and improve quality of life in low-income areas locally, nationally, and worldwide.

The MIT community brings its energy and creativity outside the classroom as well with 450+ student-run groups, 33 varsity sports, 23 intramural sports, 30 club sports, and over 500 arts-related events on campus each year. It's just a short walk across the Charles River to Boston where students can enjoy the city's fabulous restaurants or take in Boston culture. Many programs around MIT allow students to get reduced-price tickets to various events, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the American Repertory Theater, and Bruins, Celtics, and Red Sox games. Students get free admission daily to the Museum of Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, and all Harvard University and MIT museums.77 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02139

Phone: (617) 253-1000

2014-2015 Tuition & Fees

$45,016

Students

4,528 enrolled

55% male / 45% female

Admissions

Jan. 1 application deadline

8.2% accepted