Both U.S. News and THE rate Harvard as the number one university in America. While GLM gives the school a number three rating, and Forbes a number eight, it appears that overall Harvard's ratings do seem to match up with its reputation.
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
www.harvard.edu
The University of Wisconsin-Madison only made the top 10 on the GLM list, but the organization firmly defends its choice. According to GLM, with the increase in information over the Internet and the recent economic downturn, consumers are placing an increasing value in the more affordable public schools. Those schools that rise to the top are the ones that maintain a strong focus on technology and innovation while providing overall quality of education. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of these such schools, maintaining standards of excellence even after a recession that left many publicly-run universities reeling with budget cuts and lack of funding.
University of Wisconsin- Madison
Madison, WI
www.wisc.edu
While MIT is seventh on the U.S. News list, and fifth for Forbes, THE and GLM place it third and fourth respectively. While the numbers average out to something a little further from the number two spot, being mentioned on the top ten of all four lists is an accomplishment shared only with Harvard and Yale.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
web.mit.edu
Princeton leads the majority of the pack at both U.S. News and Forbes, coming in second for both lists. THE gives the New Jersey branch of the Ivy League the number five spot, though Princeton unfortunately doesn't make the top 10 cut for GLM.
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
www.princeton.edu
Stanford scores best for THE, occupying the fourth position on the list. U.S. News ties the California university in fifth place with the University of Pennsylvania. Rounding out the accolades is the Forbes list, with a sixth place ranking.
Stanford University
Palo Alto, California
www.stanford.edu
U.S. News declares that Yale is the third best university in America, though Forbes, THE and GLM don't seem to agree. THE places George Bush's alma mater at number seven, while GLM and Forbes rate it ninth and 10th. At least the venerable institution manages to place in the top 10 for all four lists, one of only three schools to do so.
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
www.yale.edu
Although U.S. News lists Caltech as tying for seventh place along with MIT, THE holds a higher opinion of the research school, giving it a second place ranking. Caltech may not have made the Forbes or GLM top 10, but coming in second only to Harvard on the THE list is a laudable achievement.
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, California
www.caltech.edu
New York's own Columbia University made both the U.S. News and GLM lists, coming in fourth and fifth. Founded in 1754, Columbia is one of the country's oldest universities, and has long fostered a tradition of academic excellence. Its overall rankings might have been higher had it made the Forbes and THE top 10. However, placing 13th and 14th on those lists is still no small accomplishment.
Columbia University
New York, NY
www.columbia.edu
The University of Chicago fared well by the GLM criteria, which placed the state-run school at number two on the list. U.S. News and THE didn't quite share the same sentiments, but each still awarded the university a ninth place ranking.
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
www.uchicago.edu
THE ranks Berkeley sixth in the United States, and eighth in world rankings. GLM agrees, placing the school in the eighth spot, though for the U.S., not the world. Overlooking the San Francisco Bay, Cal Berkeley has provided a quality public education since 1868.
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
berkeley.edu