Getting into an Ivy League school is seen as the pinnacle of achievement for a college-bound student. The Ivy League has become synonymous with the country’s most prestigious, selective, and historic universities.
The state of Florida has many highly rated colleges and universities, but are any of them Ivy League? The answer is that there are no Ivy League schools in Florida. The eight schools of the Ivy League are all located in the Northeast region of the United States. But Florida has several colleges that offer an educational experience on par with the Ivies.
Table of Contents
- What Colleges Qualify as Ivy League?
- What Colleges Are Like Ivy League Schools in Florida?
- The Bottom Line on Ivy League Schools in Florida
What Colleges Qualify as Ivy League?
The Ivy League is actually an athletic conference that covers a relatively small geographic region in the Northeast. That’s why it doesn’t have any schools in states like Texas or Florida. The conference holds eight colleges located from Philadelphia up through Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
These eight colleges just happen to be among the oldest, wealthiest (in terms of endowment), and most prestigious schools in the country, giving rise to the term “Ivy League” as a colloquialism for any highly ranked school.
The eight colleges in the Ivy League conference are:
Princeton University
- Location: Princeton, NJ
- Acceptance rate: 4%
- Undergraduate enrollment: 5,400
- U.S. News ranking: #1
Princeton, not Harvard, is the number-one ranked university in the country, according to U.S. News. Located in New Jersey, it admits only 4 percent of its applicants and is known as a veritable pipeline into top jobs at investment banks, brokerages houses, and consulting firms, as well as into elite law and medical schools.
Harvard University
- Location: Cambridge, MA
- Acceptance rate: 3%
- Undergraduate enrollment: 5,200
- U.S. News ranking: #2
Harvard, the oldest and generally considered the most prestigious university in America, snags the number two spot in the U.S. News rankings, tied with MIT and formerly with Columbia University — more on that later. Harvard also has the lowest acceptance rate of any American college.
Columbia University
- Location: New York, NY
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Undergraduate enrollment: 6,400
- U.S. News ranking: Unranked (previously tied for #2)
Columbia is located in the heart of New York City and known for its outstanding programs in medicine and journalism. However, it is embroiled in controversy as of 2022, as a professor blew the lid on a scheme by the school’s admissions office to inflate statistics used by U.S. News in its ranking algorithm. As a result, the publication dropped Columbia from its 2022 rankings entirely. The university released a statement that it would not participate in the U.S. News rankings for the 2023 school year.
Yale University
- Location: New Haven, CT
- Acceptance rate: 5%
- Undergraduate enrollment: 4,700
- U.S. News ranking: #5
Yale is Harvard’s archrival and the fifth-ranked university in the country per the U.S. News rankings. It has a residential college system divided into 12 “houses,” kind of like Harry Potter. Popular majors at Yale include economics, biology, and computer science.
University of Pennsylvania
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Undergraduate enrollment: 10,000
- U.S. News ranking: #8
The University of Pennsylvania (“Penn”) has a campus in the heart of Philadelphia, just across the Schuylkill River from Center City. It’s especially known for its prestigious Wharton School, the top business school in the country. Penn has produced more billionaires than any other college.
Dartmouth University
- Location: Hanover, NH
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Undergraduate enrollment: 6,600
- U.S. News ranking: #13
Dartmouth has the most rural location of the Ivy League colleges. It produces many graduates in economics and finance and has the heaviest Greek culture of the Ivies — roughly 60% of students participate in a fraternity or sorority.
Brown University
- Location: Providence, RI
- Acceptance rate: 6%
- Undergraduate enrollment: 7,200
- U.S. News ranking: #14
Brown University has an urban location in the center of Providence, RI. It is known as the most liberal campus in the Ivy League. Brown is also famous for its open curriculum: students have no core course requirements outside of their major and can chart their own educational path.
Cornell University
- Location: Ithaca, NY
- Acceptance rate: 9%
- Undergraduate enrollment: 15,500
- U.S. News ranking: #17
Cornell University is by far the largest Ivy League school. Its undergraduate enrollment is more than double that of every other Ivy except Penn. It is particularly known for its engineering programs.
What Colleges Are Like Ivy League Schools in Florida?
Florida doesn’t have any Ivy League schools, but the Sunshine State isn’t short on top-notch colleges and universities. If you have Ivy stats but dream of going to college where it’s always warm and sunny and you can hit the beach in the middle of winter term, you should consider these Florida schools.
University of Florida
The University of Florida is located in Gainesville and is the flagship university for the state. It was founded in 1853. With a total student population of more than 52,000, it is one of the 10 largest universities in the United States. Its position on the list of largest schools has bounced between fourth and eighth over the last decade.
With more than 300 degree programs spread across 16 different colleges, the University of Florida has something for everybody. It’s also one of the top universities in the country for research, with over $700 million in research funding each year. These qualities place it among the most prestigious public universities in the nation.
What Makes the University of Florida Like an Ivy League School?
UF is considered by many to be on par with Ivy League schools. It’s often referred to as a “public Ivy,” along with other prestigious state universities such as UNC Chapel Hill, UCLA, and the University of Michigan. It has skyrocketed in the U.S. News rankings in recent years and now ranks in the top 30 of all national universities, public and private.
One reason for UF’s lofty reputation is the quality of its faculty. UF has a number of Nobel laureates and Fulbright scholars on staff. In addition, UF offers many small class sizes, particularly in upper-level major courses. This is a rarity among massive state universities, and it allows for more interaction between students and professors.
Ivy League schools are known for their amazing campuses. But it’s arguable that none compare to UF. The weather is warm year round. The vegetation is lush.
Finally, the University of Florida has a tradition of excellence in both academics and athletics. The Gators have a long history of winning national championships in sports like football and basketball. This creates a camaraderie among students and alums that is hard to mach. The “Gator Nation” extends far and wide, and it always has your back, whether you’re looking for a job, a business opportunity, or new friends in a new city.
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a prestigious private research university located in Coral Gables, about five miles south of downtown Miami. The university was founded in 1925 and has more than 17,000 total students. About 11,000 of these students are undergraduates, so it’s smaller than Cornell but comparable in size to Penn.
Students flock to UM not just from all over the country but from all over the world, attracted by its rigorous academics, picturesque campus, incredible location in a world-class, cosmopolitan city, and connections to job opportunities.
What Makes the University of Miami Like an Ivy League School?
UM is consistently ranked among the top 50 national universities in U.S. News. Its acceptance rate has fallen below 30%, and its middle 50% ACT range is a 30-33, so it accepts only high-performing students. Every year there are kids who actually turn down Ivy League acceptances to attend UMiami, preferring its location and high-energy environment.
The University of Miami has substantially added to its upperclassman housing in recent years, becoming a true residential campus. Juniors and seniors have the option of living in on-campus apartments that look more like luxury resorts than typical college housing.
Florida State University
First, we know what you might be thinking here: “Florida State comparable to an Ivy League school? Pass me what you’re drinking.” But if that’s your first thought, you’re thinking of the old FSU from the 1980s and 1990s, the school former UF coach Steve Spurrier once called “Free Shoes University,” a reference to a scandal involving improper benefits to athletes.
Florida State has made massive academic strides since those days. No longer is it a safety school for UF applicants — or anyone for that matter. Today’s FSU ranks among the top state schools in the United States. The university has more than 33,000 undergraduates and another 12,000 graduate students.
What Makes Florida State University Like an Ivy League School?
The FSU of the 2020s is a highly prestigious, highly elite public university with an acceptance rate below 30%. Its humanities programs in particular are top notch. FSU houses the Flagler Enterprise Papers, which describe the circumstances leading to the creation of the Florida East Coast Railway.
Its campus in Tallahassee is lush and picturesque — the quintessential college setting. Its graduates get recruited at campus job fairs by top accounting firms, banks, and graduate programs, including medical and law schools.
The Bottom Line on Ivy League Schools in Florida
There are no Ivy League schools in Florida, but there are many excellent universities that offer a high-quality education and a prestigious degree. If you’re competitive for the Ivy League schools but want to broaden your search and open yourself up to different — and warmer — geographic locations, be sure to explore the options available in Florida.
