Top 10 ‘Dream Schools’ In The U.S.—Students’ Picks For 2025

By: Simple | March 10, 2025

Students rank their "Dream Schools" based on academics, campus life, reputation, and career prospects.

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#1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Location: Massachusetts A leader in technology, innovation, and research

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#2 Harvard College Location: Massachusetts Ivy League university known for law, business, and medicine

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#3 Stanford University Location: California A hub for entrepreneurship & tech near Silicon Valley

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#4 Princeton University Location: New Jersey Known for liberal arts, research, & financial aid programs

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#5 Yale University Location: Connecticut Famous for law, arts, and humanities programs

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#6 Columbia University Location: New York Ivy League university with a strong global reputation

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#7 New York University (NYU) Location: New York Top choice for arts, business & media studies

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#8 University of Michigan Location: Michigan Known for strong engineering, business & athletics Top research university with a vibrant campus life

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#9 University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) Location: Pennsylvania Prestigious Ivy League university Home to Wharton, one of the best business schools

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#10 University of California—Los Angeles (UCLA) Location: California Top public university with excellent academics & sports Hollywood’s neighbor—great for film & media studies

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