Richard Moll, a former admissions officer at the University of California, traveled around the United States during the 1980s to find public schools that have qualities similar to Ivy League schools. He created a list of schools based on several criteria -- renowned history, success of graduates, beautiful campus environments and level of academic rigor. These public schools are now considered to offer the same or similar quality of education to the actual Ivy League schools, but at a lesser cost for students.
This college is renowned for its strict academic requirements, even across other Ivy League schools. It is constantly ranked a top-10 U.S. college in various annual lists. This school also stands as the second-oldest college in the U.S. -- behind only Harvard -- and was originally chartered by King William III and Queen Mary II in the American colonies. The college has produced many famous graduates, such as talk show host Jon Stewart and fashion designer Perry Ellis. Its most notable programs include the education, business, law and marine biology degrees.
The University of Texas is particularly known for its rich and lively environment. It is known to host various events such as concerts, sporting events and international conferences. The University of Texas is also particularly known for its excellent athletic programs. In 2002, "Sports Illustrated" recognized the university as having the No. 1 Division I athletic program across 324 other universities in the nation. The school has also produced many successful leaders and was named one of the top sources for Fortune 1000 CEOs.
The University of Michigan has a strong football program with an even stronger fan following and also has esteemed academic programs. Some of these programs include the law, medicine and political science programs. It is also one of the larger universities in the nation with more than 58,000 students and 8,000 instructors, as of 2011. Since being established in 1817, Michigan has produced many world-famous graduates, such as Larry Page, Lucy Liu and football star Tom Brady.