1. Stanford University
Stanford University was founded
by Leland Stanford, the former Governor and US Senator, and his wife Jane
Lathrop Stanford in 1885. Tuition was free until 1920. Not only is Stanford one
of the best colleges academically, but, they are one of the top fundraising
institutions in the country. They were the first school to raise more than a
billion dollars in a year. A few noteworthy alumni are Tiger Woods, Reese
Witherspoon, Herbert Hoover, and Larry Page.
2. Williams College
Williams College was established
in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. The college did not
become co-educational until 1970, as it was originally a men’s only college. Williams
sits on 450 acres in Williamstown, Massachusetts in the Berkshires. The
original planning of the college had free standing buildings. Total enrollment
is close to 3,000 students. Some of Williams College’s notable alumni include
James A. Garfield, Elia Kazan, and David Strathairn.
3. Princeton University
Princeton University was founded
in 1746 and was then called the College of New Jersey. It is an Ivy League
research university. Here are some of the reasons Princeton University sits at
number three on this list: Alumni of the university include 41 Nobel laureates,
21 National Medal of Science winners, 14 Fields Medalists, the most Abel Prize
winners and Field Medalists of any university, two U.S. Presidents, 12 U.S.
Supreme Court Justices (three of whom currently serve on the court), and not to
mention the many living billionaires and highly successful people. Some notable
alumni, to name a few, are Woodrow Wilson, James Madison, John F. Kennedy, and
Michelle Obama.
4. Harvard University
Number four on the list goes to
the private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard
University. Established in 1636, this university is the United States oldest
college or university. Harvard's list of alumni is very impressive. To name a
few, President’s Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, George W. Bush, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and
President of the United States Barack Obama.
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
In 1861, the private research
university in Cambridge, Massachusetts was founded, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT). MIT sits on 168 acres and spans a mile long sitting along the
north side of the Charles River basin.
Buzz Aldrin graduated the Aero & Astro program in 1963 and then we
all know where that brought him. Some other notable alumni include Janet Hsieh,
Salman Khan, Claude Shannon, and Dolph Lundgren.
6. Yale University
Yale University is the
third-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, founded in
1701. Yale is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and is especially known for
its gothic architecture style on campus. Some of Yale’s distinguished alumni
are Bill Clinton, Meryl Streep, Anderson Cooper, Paul Newman, James Franco, and
many many more.
7. Pomona College
Pomona College is located in
Claremont, California. It is a private, nonsectarian, liberal arts college that
was established in 1887. The campus sits on 140 acres, with 63 total buildings.
Some notable alumni include: Kris Kristofferson and Roy E. Disney.
8. Brown University
Founded in 1764, Brown
University is a private, Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island.
Brown was the first college in the United States to accept students no matter
what their religious affiliation was. Brown University has produced seven Nobel
Prize winners, 55 Rhodes Scholars, and five National Humanities Medalists. Some
alumni who’s names may ring a bell include: Emma Watson, John D. Rockefeller
Jr., Ted Turner, John F. Kennedy Jr., Lauri Linney, Lisa Loebm, Bobby Jindal,
and John Krasinski.
9. Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University was founded
in 1831 in Middletown, Connecticut. The university is a liberal arts college.
Some names you may recognize that graduated from there are: Bradley Whitford,
Joss Whedon, Michael Bay, Michael S. Roth, and Dana Delany to name a few.
10. Swarthmore College
A liberal arts college located
in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, this college was one of the first coeducational
colleges in the United States. The college was founded in 1864 by a committee
of Quakers. Swarthmore is located 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Some of
the famous Swarthmore College Alumni include Jonathan Franzen, Stephen Land,
and Sally Ride.
