The Public Ivies

Nov 16, 2021 8:00:00 AM by Delaney Healey

The phrase “Public Ivies” was coined by Richard Moll in his 1985 book The Public Ivies: America’s Flagship Undergraduate Colleges. This phrase referred to public institutions that “provide an Ivy League collegiate experience at a public school price.” In the 2001 book by Howard and Matthew Greene, Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning, the Greenes expanded the list to 30 schools and divided it by region.

These schools are known for their academic difficulty, notable faculty and high rates of selectivity. The cost of Public Ivies is subsidized from public funds and private grants, but that lower cost does come at a price. All of the Public Ivies are much bigger than the traditional Ivy Leagues. For example, the University of Florida has triple the number of students as Cornell, which is the largest of the Ivy Leagues. Bigger student bodies can mean larger class sizes, more teaching assistants, limited interaction directly with professors and more. It can also mean more competition for required classes.

Some pros of the Public Ivies are world-class facilities, state-of-the-art sports programs and a wide variety of classes and activities to choose from. These schools are a great choice for students who take an active role in their education—those who find the resources they need. These students utilize open office hours, actively pursue opportunities and meet regularly with their advisors. Does this sound like you? If so, a Public Ivy may be for you!

The Public Ivies Lists

Richard Moll’s Public Ivies (1985):

College of William & Mary
Miami University
University of California

(Applies to the campuses as of 1985: Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Irvine, Davis, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Riverside)

University of Michigan
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Texas at Austin
University of Vermont
University of Virginia

Richard Moll’s Nine “Worthy Runner-Up” Schools (1985):

University of Colorado Boulder
Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign
New College of Florida

(Formerly New College of the University of South Florida, it became an independent part of Florida's State University System in 2001)

Pennsylvania State University
University of Pittsburgh
State University of New York at Binghamton

(also known as Binghamton University)

University of Washington
University of Wisconsin–Madison

The Greenes’ Expanded List (2001):

Northeastern

Pennsylvania State University
Rutgers University
State University of New York at Binghamton
University of Connecticut

Mid-Atlantic

College of William & Mary
University of Delaware
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Virginia

Western

University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Washington

Great Lakes & Midwest

Indiana University Bloomington
Miami University
Michigan State University
Ohio State University
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
University of Iowa
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
University of Wisconsin–Madison

Southern

University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Texas at Austin