Amherst, Middlebury, Bates, Bowdoin, Williams, and Wesleyan all offer a chance for the best and brightest students to learn from faculty strongly invested in teaching and student success. If the results are in color, then the difference is statistically significant at a 95% confidence level. If you end up joining the 35,000 who ultimately get rejected, revel in the fact that you have now been granted a new beginning, released from the mesmeric allure of Harvard’s iconic status. Yale University vs. Harvard University; University of Michigan - Ann Arbor vs. Ohio State University - Columbus; United States Military Academy vs. United States Naval Academy; Amherst College vs. Pomona College; Virginia Tech vs. University of Virginia How would you choose between Harvard and Pomona College? The difference is that at Swarthmore, a liberal arts college without any graduate programs, the instructor in your class is guaranteed not to be a grad student and certainly won’t be a fellow undergraduate. When students are admitted to two schools, they can only attend one. The competition for a spot at either institution is a case of valedictorian on valedictorian crime and perfect SATs are by no means a guarantor of acceptance. Compare colleges to find out. While this factoid is a bit anecdotal for our research-based tastes, a significant amount of hard data is suggestive of its veracity. However, you can rest assured that the people who need to know—graduate schools and employers—are familiar with the quality and prestige of these institutions. For the full methodology, please see the bottom of the page. When students are admitted to two schools, they can only attend one. While the school has since put together committees geared toward addressing these issues, student ratings of professor engagement and availability continue to lag well behind many other premier academic institutions. When seeking a school with a deep commitment to undergraduate instruction, you don’t necessarily have to look beyond the Ivy League. Other phenomenal options are scattered between the coasts such as Carleton in Minnesota, Oberlin in Ohio, and Grinnell in Iowa. Dartmouth College prides itself on providing undergraduate students with structured research opportunities. Harvard touts a remarkably low student-faculty ratio; some years it is the very best in the nation. The pride of being accepted to and graduating from such an institution is understandable; it’s one hell of an achievement. Harvard University was founded in 1636 and has a historical and deep-rooted place in American life. Harvard and Swarthmore both have some of the toughest admissions standards in the country. Which do they prefer? A 2005 survey conducted across 31 elite campuses found Harvard undergrads ranking 27th in overall student satisfaction. That being said, there are other elite, name-brand colleges and universities that may provide a better undergraduate experience than Harvard. When students are admitted to two schools, they can only attend one. Unfortunately, their stated 7:1 ratio does not necessarily mean classes are small and taught primarily by their eminent, full time faculty. Each residential college is overseen by a Dean and a Master, distinguished faculty members who live on site and regularly eat meals with students, allowing these anointed shepherds to better advise and mentor members of their flock. The Harvard name is the Harvard name and that is an undeniable fact.

The educational implications are obvious: higher engagement, more discussion, more face-time with your professors—heck, they might even take the time to learn your name. A2A. Perhaps the stark difference between the commitment to undergraduate teaching at Pomona and Harvard is best illustrated in the two school’s own words.