What are the best universities in the United States?

Are you thinking about studying in a different country? Maybe in North America? Here we have everything that you need to know about the best universities in the United States!

What are the best universities in the United States?

Studying in the United States can be a big adventure, but before that, you should know what are the best universities that this country has to offer. So that you don't just have a good time, but you also have a brilliant future ahead of you! If you remember our article about the best universities in the world you will know that a lot of American universities are famous all over the world. Some of them aren't as old as the famous universities from the United Kingdom, but their good results have propelled them to the top of the rankings of the best universities in the world.

I am sure that you have heard of a lot of these universities, thanks to series, books or films. From Harvard to Berkeley, the whole country is full of famous schools with strong reputations. In fact, we can go across the United States from one end to another, from following its incredible universities. Let's start on the East Coast, at the University of New York. After, we go past the Universities of Dallas and Colorado, and finish up at the University of San Diego, in California. See if there are options!

Harvard University

Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is a private university, founded in 1636. Without a doubt, you would have heard of this university before. It has the biggest library network in the world and manages various museums.

Harvard's alumni consists of 160 Nobel Prize winners, 10 Oscar winners, 48 Pulitzer Prize winners, 108 Olympic Medallists and 8 Presidents of the United States. With such distinguished alumni, it is normal that the university is very selective about who can go there. The university has three main criteria to choose its students from:

• Academic performance;
• Talents, free-time activities and community service;
• The student's personality;

It is a pioneer in Medicine, Law and Economics, although all of its degree programmes have a strong reputation, thanks to the university's incredible team of professors. It has various campuses, such as Cambridge, Allston and Longwood. These are equipped with all kinds of facilities for their students, like shops, restaurants, and university residences.

In addition to studying, you can do a lot of other things at Harvard. There are more than 450 societies of every kind: theatre, painting, debate groups, dance, radio and television... Of course, it also has its own sports team, Harvard Crimson, which competes in the student league in many sports. At this university, the students can do anything, up to inventing Facebook!

If you want to find out more information about Harvard, visit their official website. It is a university that is worth visiting if you go by there, as Frederick told us in his Experience in Boston blog.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is known all over the world as MIT, due to its initials. It is in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and its motto is "mens et manus" (mind and hand).

The degrees that they study at MIT are mainly from the Science and Technology field, for example, Computing or Physics. However, it also has disciplines from Literature. In fact, its Literature Department is considered to be one of the best in the world.

The campus isn't as big as the one of its neighbour university, Harvard University, but even so, it is a pretty place and worth visiting if you spend a day in Boston.

All the universities have their own traditions, but undoubtedly, none of them are more famous than those of MIT: their "hacks". Their hacks are inoffensive jokes that the MIT students carry out without being seen. The rules are: don't get caught, don't cause damage and be creative! Some famous jokes include turning the main campus building into Captain America's shield or into RD-D2 from Star Wars. Another interesting thing is its rivalry with another leading school in the country, CalTech. Both universities usually carry out pranks against each other, whether it be changing parts of the rival campus or to make fun of it in public in some way.

You can visit MIT's website if you'd like to find out more about it. It is a place where creativity doesn't have limits and everything is possible, so if you are passionate about research or inventing, this is the place to be. Lots of notable people have studied here, like the inventor of the World Wide Web or the second man to step on the moon!

Stanford University

Leland Stanford Junior University is located in Stanford, California, and was founded in 1891. Its name is due to its founder, Leland Stanford, who created it in honour of his son, Leland Stanford Junior, who died when he was only 15 years old. His father wanted to create a place that would help other children, and that would develop cures against illnesses like the one that killed his son.

Stanford is very close to Silicon Valley, which has become a leader in technology and business entrepreneurship. It's Medical School also stands out, complete with its own full medical centre.

Some important inventions that were born in this university are, for example, Google and Yahoo. Their creators studied and developed these businesses here, but they haven't been the only ones. A total of 81 Nobel Prize Winners studied in Stanford.

Fun fact about Stanford: as an educational institute, it is amongst the best in the world. But its mascot, the tree of Stanford, which hypes up the Stanford Cardinal team in all its sporting events, is considered one of the worst team mascots in the world!

To know more about this university, visit it's website. It's appealing as much for the quality of its teaching as its location: sunny California. Take advantage of it by going to visit San Francisco!

Princeton University

This university was founded in 1746 under the name of the College of New Jersey, but later on, it evolved into being called Princeton, and they ended up changing their name to Princeton University. It is one of the most prestigious and wealthiest universities in the world.

You can see its wealth through its museum, the Museum of Art of Princeton University. Inside, you can admire works from artists such as Angelika Kauffmann, Goya, Monet, Warhol... It also has important pieces of African and Asian artwork. Without a doubt, it is a place worth visiting.

It is considered one of the best universities in the world due to its 90 per cent graduate rate. Even Albert Einstein, who taught in the Institute of Advanced Studies in Princeton, used to walk through the campus and give classes at Princeton.

The university has a long list of traditions, such as parades, matching jackets and concerts. Also, it has teams in sports such as golf, tennis or basketball. Their kit is black and orange, as they are called the Princeton Tigers and their mascot is a tiger.

You can find out everything about this university on its website. The best thing is that it is located in New Jersey, a perfect place to explore tourist attractions in the area or have a shopping day in New Jersey.

Columbia University

In 1754, King George II commissioned the creation of Kings College in New York. During the United States Independence War, the centre came to be called the Colombia University in the City of New York, or Columbia University.

96 Nobel Prize winners have studied there. Also, it is where they give out the Famous Pulitzer Prizes each year. It is also the first school in the whole of the United States to award a medical degree. Amongst its famous alumni, one that stands out is the former US President, Barack Obama.

The main campus can be found in Morningside Heights, Manhattan. According to the New York Magazine, it is the institution with the second-largest amount of land in New York, after the Catholic Church. In 2007 the university bought land in Manhattanville to open a second campus. The best thing about being in the centre of Manhattan is being able to visit tourist attractions in the city. Make the most of it by going through Central Park, the lungs of New York!

Amongst the degrees that Columbia University offers, those from Social Sciences, Engineering and Health Sciences stand out. It is also a pioneer of research, with more than 100 departments and centres dedicated to this purpose. The university owns more than 600 patents, including the one for Radio FM.

Columbia has lots of sports teams, all called Columbia Lions. It is believed that its mascot is a lion after the time that it was called Kings College, because there are lions on the England crest.

If you want to find out more about Columbia University, take a look at their website. And if you are interested in the surrounding areas, we've given you all the information about New York: the city that never sleeps.

But don't believe that this is all there is. There are still so many highly-regarded institutions which are the ideal choice for many students, for example:

• Harvey Mudd College;

• California Institute of Technology;

• Chicago University;

• University of California, Berkeley;

• Cornell University;

• Yale University;

• University of Pennsylvania;

• Washington University;

• University of Michigan;

• Duke University;

• Dartmouth College;

• And lots more!

The best universities in the United States to study Medicine

In the same way as practically everything in life, studying in the United States has as many advantages as disadvantages. Many students have a hard time being far away from home, they have to get used to different times, or spend lots of time on public transport due to the long distances in this country. However, there are also lots of advantages: you can do some tourism, their research programmes are very prestigious, it is the perfect way to improve your English and it is easy to combine your studies with sports and work.

Therefore, you should consider carrying out your studies in the States. You have so many options and degree programmes to choose from! The most popular one, for example, is Medicine. For this degree, the top university is Harvard. The main reason is that the Harvard Medical School, is different to the majority of others, for it doesn't have its own hospital for the practical work experience, but it is affiliated with various hospitals in the area. The next ones on the list are the John Hopkins University and Stanford, but there are lots of other good ones. And how can you study Medicine in the United States? First of all, you will have had to have studied Science subjects and you will have to pass the access to Medicine exam. The degree in itself lasts for four years, but you have to add on the time spent on doing work experience and specialisation. With everything, being a doctor in the United States isn't a goal you should rule out. You can do it!

The universities have a huge variety of courses. Although Harvard is a leader in Medicine, it also offers degrees in Law or Engineering. Some places are more specialised, such as MIT or Caltech, but in general, you can find something that you like in practically any university. Remember: just because a university is top in a field doesn't mean that the others are the worst!

What is the most expensive university in the United States?

The majority of the most prestigious universities in the world are private. This means that they are not financed by the state, so they cover their costs thanks to what the students pay. Therefore, if you want to study in one of these ones, get your card ready!

Every student in the world knows that studying at university isn't cheap. In the United Kingdom, the cost of a degree is around £27, 000 in universities such as Oxford or Cambridge. If this figure has amazed you, you'd better take a deep breath before you keep reading.

The private European universities are "cheap" compared to the American ones. The ten most expensive universities in America are also the most expensive ones in the world. In 2019, the most expensive university in the United States was Vassar College. This New-Yorker university has a degree cost of almost 60, 000 dollars! In addition, there is Tufts University, Columbia University, Amherst College and Boston College, with very similar prices. Coincidentally, they are all in the same area, in the North-East of the country. Are you motivated to sign up to one?

How much does it cost to study in a public university in the United States?

As you can see, studying in certain American universities is expensive. The cost is so high that few students are able to do it. Of course, not all of the universities cost the same price. Harvard costs around about 46, 000 dollars, Stanford about 48, 000 dollars and forMIT, 50, 000 dollars. To this, you also have to add on the cost of living in university accommodation, plus food, transport and the essentials. Altogether, it can bring the total to the meagre amount of 75, 000 dollars a year.

But let's not panic! In the United States, there are public universities! You also have to pay tuition fees, but you can't compare their prices to those of a private university. For example, the University of California, Berkeley, which is one of the most important universities in the world, costs around 12, 000 dollars. Almost nothing compared to the 58, 000 dollars for Columbia University, right? Amongst the best public universities in the United States, there are also California State University, Los Angeles, Virgina and Michigan.

At these high prices, you will be asking if there are any free universities in the United States. The answer might suprise you: yes! To go to Barclay College, Berea College or Deep Springs College you don't have to pay any tuition fees! In exchange, you will have to live on campus, work as an intern or pay for books. Also, they are usually very small universities with not many options for specialisation.

However, this isn't the only option if you can't afford to pay the fees for a big university. Some of them have financial aid programmes for foreign students, sports-players or those who have a strong academic profile. In terms of sport, as we mentioned before, the United States rank it very highly. If you have a high level of sporting ability, it is possible that the university will grant you some kind of aid for your studies. One of the most prestigious universities in the world which is famous for its grants is the University of Yale.

What are the prerequisites for studying at a university in the United States?

You already have all of the information you need about the best universities in the United States. You're only missing one thing: how can I get in? Well here are the pre-requisites to study a degree in the United States:

• Have A-levels or an equivalent qualification. They will definitely ask you for them in the university that you choose.

• Do the pre-university entrance exams. There can be two types: the common exams for all of the universities and their own exams that each university gives to prospective students.

• Have a good level of English. To check this, they carry out TOEFL and IELTS exams.

• Get a place in the university that you want to go to. This might sound really complicated, but it's not impossible. Even the most selective universities have their tricks and we can help you. We know what you have to do to get into the University of Oxford! The best student profile is of someone who is interesting and motivated. Try to stand out in everything you have done: hobbies, sport, volunteer activities, extra-curricular activities... Show them that you are the student that they are looking for!

• Of course, having good grades is essential.

• Normally, the best thing is to get a letter of recommendation from a professor or tutor.

• If you have work experience, add your CV. Remember to follow this advice step by step to create a perfect CV.

• Once you've been accepted, you can try and get a grant! If you can't get one, you'll have to prove that you can pay the tuition fees to be able to continue your studies there.

• Have a student visa. This step is very important for being able to travel to the United States. And don't forget your passport or your medical insurance either!

What is the access test like to get into American Universities?

To be able to go to a university in the United States, in addition to your academic record, you need two more grades. The first one is the one that evaluates your English level called the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). It is an English exam that you can take in person or via the internet. It is important to get a good grade because, at the end of the day, the classes at university are carried out in English. Make sure that you have a sufficient level in English to cope with this well. There is another English test called IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The difference is that the latter is in British English, whilst the TOEFL is in American English.

The second grade that you need is the one from the university entrance exam. Some schools choose to carry out their own exams, whereas others base it on the grade from the standardised exam, called the SAT. The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is an exam which consists of two parts: comprehension and written expression, and mathematics. It isn't an exam which evaluates your knowledge from the past few years, just the ingenuity and potential of each student. There is another alternative test called ACT. The students can do both tests and then, give the universities the highest grade out of the two.

You can now see that studying a degree in the United States isn't an unreachable dream. With effort and perseverance, everything is possible. But remember, it isn't just the United States that has the big schools. Therefore, finding out what are the best universities in Spain can help you to make the best decision. Your perfect university is waiting for you!

I hope that this article will help you to make a decision. Good luck to everyone!

And don't forget! If you're looking for student accommodation, we can help you. Erasmusu offers hundreds of spacious rooms rooms, studios, university dorms and flats you will be able to find your perfect home in areas all over America, before you even get there.

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