Before answering the question are Ivy league schools public or private, let us understand “ What are ivy league schools?”
Ivy League Schools
Ivy league is a group of eight prestigious and elite colleges in the northeastern part of the United States. These colleges are amongst the top-rated colleges in the world. Ivy league colleges focus more on sports as compared to academics. They compete against each other and there have been internal rivalries between them. The eight ivy league colleges are:
- Harvard University, Massachusetts
- Yale University, Connecticut
- Brown University, Rhode Island
- Columbia University, New York
- Dartmouth University, New Hampshire
- Princeton University, New Jersey
- University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania
- Cornell University, New York
History of ivy leagues
In 1954, the “Ivy League” was formed, but the term “Ivy League” was coined in 1937. The history of Ivies goes way back to before the establishment of the NCAA. In 1636 Harvard University became the first Ivy university. Harvard University was named after John Harvard, who donated his books to the institution. After that, Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Brown University, and Dartmouth University were set up in the years 1701, 1740, 1746, 1764, and 1769 respectively. Cornell University is the only Ivy League university that was formed a century later, in 1865, after the formation of the United States.
Are Ivy League schools public or private?
The eight Ivy League colleges( Harvard University, Columbia University, Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Dartmouth University, Brown University, and Yale University) are private colleges. These colleges are not owned by any government or organization. Most people use the term “Ivy Plus” to refer to Ivies and other prestige colleges such as MIT, Stanford, etc. These Ivies are comparatively costlier, but they also provide financial aid to their students.
The public Ivies are those institutions that offer Ivy League education at public universities. These public universities are owned by Government or any organization. Public Ivies are not as costlier as compared to private Ivy colleges. These institutions also enroll more students as compared to private ivies. Some of the public ivy league colleges are:
- the University of California, Berkeley
- the University of Arizona
- University of Florida
- University of Iowa
- University of Virginia
- the University of Washington
- University of California, Los Angeles
So, The eight ivy league colleges are private, but some public institutions also provide education similar to Ivy League colleges.
How to apply for an Ivy League University?
Studying in an Ivy League College is a dream of many students. Ivy league colleges offer to get placement in many good companies. But the competition and fees are too high. Some of the tips for applying to ivy league colleges are:
- Be an early applicant. Ivy League universities being private, have their different application process and requirements. Prepare your documents accordingly.
- Maintain a good academic background. Despite having a not-very-remarkable academic background students get selected based on their sports and athletic performances.
- Letters of recommendation can also secure your position in Ivy League colleges. Make sure to have at least 2 or 3 letters of recommendation.
- Highlight your areas of expertise and skills to make a good impression.
- Prepare well for your interviews.
Conclusion
Ivy League schools are among the most prestigious schools around the world. Every student dreams of studying at these universities. But due to the low acceptance rate, many students don’t get the chance to study in Ivy League colleges. The eight ivy league colleges are private. That means they are not funded by any government or organization. In early times ivy league schools were only for the wealthy. Following is the data on the acceptance rate in Ivy League colleges in 2024:
| Ivy League Schools | No. of applicants | Accepted | Rejected |
| Yale | 35,044 | 6.5% | 93.5% |
| Harvard | 40,208 | 4.9% | 95.1% |
| Brown | 36,757 | 6.9% | 93.1% |
| Cornell | 49,065 | 10.9% | 89.1% |
| Columbia | 40,124 | 6.1% | 93.9% |
| Dartmouth | 21,351 | 8.8% | 91.2% |
| Penn | 42,247 | 8.1% | 91.9% |
| Princeton | 32,705 | 5.6% | 94.4% |
The table above shows the acceptance rate at ivy league colleges is very low and it’s very hard to get into them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are ivy school non-profit?
Answer: Yes, the eight ivy league schools are non-profit. Non-profit schools are institutions that reinvest their profit to make the resources and facilities better, such as libraries, campuses, classrooms, and instructors’ salaries.
- What is the rate of acceptance at Harvard University?
Answer: According to 2024 data, the acceptance rate of Harvard University is 4.9%. 95.1% of applications got rejected this year.
- What are the Ivy League rankings?
Answer: The Ivy League schools are ranked as the best colleges in the world. They rank among the top 20 universities on lists by Forbes and world report. Ivy league schools have strong alumni networks.
- Is Stanford an Ivy League School?
Answer: No, Stanford is not an ivy league school. Though sometimes it outranks the Ivies in academics.
- Is Oxford University better than Ivy League Schools?
Answer: Oxford University is not an Ivy League university but it outranks all the eight Ivy League schools. So, yes Oxford can be considered a better option than Ivy League schools.