What Are the 25 New Ivies and Why Students Are Migrating South
Colleges Ranking Index by Rebellion Research
The term New Ivies describes selective universities outside the Ivy League that attract strong students and employers. These schools offer serious academics, national reputations, and strong placement outcomes. The list changes over time, but twenty five names come up again and again in national surveys and admissions data.
The most common twenty five New Ivies today are
Vanderbilt University
Duke University
Rice University
Stanford University
MIT
Caltech
University of Michigan
University of Virginia
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Florida
University of Texas at Austin
Georgia Tech
Emory University
Carnegie Mellon University
Notre Dame
Boston College
Boston University
New York University
University of Southern California
Tulane University
Wake Forest University
Southern Methodist University
University of Richmond
Case Western Reserve University
University of California Los Angeles
Students now migrate south at scale. Families want warmer weather, strong sports culture, and growing job markets. Southern states also offer lower taxes and cheaper housing. This shift helps Vanderbilt most. The school now sits near the top of the list. SMU rises with Dallas growth. The University of Michigan still commands national reach and continues to draw strong applicants despite colder weather.
