A Guide to NESCAC Schools: Ranking, Acceptance Rates, and Comparison
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Little Ivies: The Ultimate List
2024-10-30•14 minute read
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What Are the Little Ivies?
Overview of The Little Ivies
Our List
What Sets Them Apart?
Which Little Ivy is Right For You?
The Ivy League is a household name — instantly bringing up thoughts of quality education, job prospects, and an excellent reputation. But have you heard of the "Little Ivies"?
In this blog, we’ll explore what The Little Ivies are, how they rank, and what makes them stand out from other schools and the Ivy League itself.
What Are the Little Ivies?
The Little Ivies are a group of universities in the northeastern US. Similar to the Ivy League, they’re academically competitive and have an excellent reputation. They’re also known for having a smaller student body — and that’s where the term “Little Ivies” comes from.
It’s generally agreed that the Little Ivies have a few factors in common: they’re in the northeast, provide top-quality liberal arts education, and boast a small student size.
The Little Ivies are one of multiple groups of universities that are stepping into the spotlight in terms of ranking and quality, similar to the New Ivies and The Ivy Plus schools.
List of Little Ivies
Different sources might disagree on what makes a school one of the Little Ivies since there’s no official list. The most commonly agreed on colleges are “The Little Three” (Amherst, Williams, and Wesleyan) and the “Maine Big Three” (Bates, Bowdoin, Colby).
Bloomberg published an article with their own list of what they would consider the little ivies, and according to The College Voice, other sources would consider all NESCAC schools part of the little ivies except for Connecticut College.
To determine what the little Ivies are, we consulted our expert strategists, and reviewed ranking lists for top liberal arts schools to determine the eight colleges fitting of the Little Ivy title.
The Little Ivies
| University | US News Liberal Arts Ranking (2024-2025) | Acceptance Rate | Crimson List? | Bloomberg List? | NESCAC Member? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams | 1 | 7.5% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Amherst | 2 | 9.01% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bowdoin | 5 | 7.13% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wesleyan | 14 | 16.00% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hamilton | 14 | 13.62% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Middlebury | 19 | 11.96% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Colby | 25 | 7.00% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bates | 26 | 13.00% | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Based on this, these eight universities are considered Little Ivies both by us and by Bloomberg, and they’re all members of NESCAC:
- Williams College
- Amherst College
- Bowdoin College
- Wesleyan University
- Hamilton College
- Middlebury College
- Colby College
- Bates College
Our Little Ivies List
1. Williams College
Location: Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williams college is one of the “Little Three” — a term that was used by these three colleges in reference to The Big Three Ivy Leagues. This school earned the #1 spot in US News’ ranking of liberal arts colleges.
Williams is known for small classes, attentive faculty, and close-knit community. The school also offers unique opportunities such as their renowned tutorial and research programs.
Williams provides about 65 areas of study across fields like the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
2. Amherst College
Location: Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst College, another member of the “Little Three,” is known for its flexible open curriculum and focus on undergraduate studies.
Like other Little Ivies, it’s also known for its intimate class sizes, with a faculty-student ratio of 1 to 7.
Amherst offers about 40 areas of study, with strong programs in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Amherst also collaborates with nearby schools in the Five College Consortium, allowing students to take classes at any of these colleges.
3. Bowdoin College
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Bowdoin College is one of the “Maine Big Three”, located along the Maine coast. It was the first test-optional college in the entire country, and it's unique in that it promises need-blind admissions for every applicant and meets 100% of the calculated need of every student they admit without using loans!
The college emphasizes the importance of global citizenship and leadership, with many students participating in community engagement and service programs.
Besides liberal arts, Bowdoin’s most popular majors are Biology, Biochemistry, and Computer Science.
4. Wesleyan University
Location: Middletown, Connecticut
Acceptance Rate: 16%
The third of the “Little Three,” Wesleyan University is known for its progressive atmosphere and diverse liberal arts community.
Like Amherst, Wesleyan also offers an open curriculum across more than 45 departments and interdisciplinary programs, and its particular strengths are the arts, sciences, and social sciences.
As a Little Ivy, Wesleyan’s student body is quite intimate with approximately 3,000 undergraduate and 200 graduate students
5. Hamilton College
Location: Clinton, New York
Acceptance Rate: 13.62%
Tied with Wesleyan at #15 on the US News ranking, Hamilton College is among the oldest 30 or so universities in the country.
The university is known for its focus on communication, providing a writing center and oral communication center for its students to encourage effective writing and speaking skills.
It also offers an open curriculum across 44 majors, a close community, small class sizes, and opportunities for individualized study.
6. Middlebury College
Location: Middlebury, Vermont
Middlebury College is renowned for its strength in language programs and international studies.
The college offers over 40 majors, with distinctive programs in environmental studies and global affairs. Known for its dedication to sustainability and the environment, Middlebury was one of the first colleges to commit to carbon neutrality.
The college fosters a global perspective, with students participating in language immersion programs and study abroad opportunities through the Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad.
7. Colby College
Location: Waterville, Maine
Another one of the “Main Big Three,” Colby College is celebrated for its focus on research and global engagement. The school offers more than 50 areas of study, with standout programs in environmental science, biology, and international relations.
Colby is a center for arts scholarships, and is home to the country’s finest college art museum, the the Colby College Museum of Art, as well as the Lunder Institute for American Art.
8. Bates College
Location: Lewiston, Maine
Acceptance Rate: 13.00%
The last of the “Maine Big Three,” and the last on our Little Ivies list, Bates College is known for its inclusive, community-oriented environment and focus on social justice.
Offering over 30 majors, Bates emphasizes interdisciplinary learning and collaborative research. The college’s core curriculum encourages exploration across fields such as biology, politics, and sociology, with many students participating in service-learning and community engagement projects.
Bates promotes a commitment to civic engagement and environmental responsibility, with students often involved in sustainability initiatives and outreach programs.
What Sets The Little Ivies Apart?
1. Small Student Body
The main defining feature that sets the little ivies apart from other top universities is their intimate class size and small student body.
All of the Little Ivies on our list have a student body of 3000 undergraduate students or less, creating an intimate environment where students can get individualized attention from faculty.
This also makes it easier to access academic resources, mentorship, and even collaborative research opportunities that might be more challenging to come by at larger institutions.
2. Reputation and Quality
The Little Ivies consistently rank among the top universities in the world. All the little ivies in our list rank among the top 30 best national liberal arts colleges this year.
The quality of education and reputation translates into better prospects after graduation, and an excellent alumni network.
3. Location
All the little ivies are in the northeastern United States — giving them a similar social culture and access to opportunities within the region.
The northeastern location means proximity to major cultural and economic centers like New York City and Boston, providing students with access to internships, job prospects, and networking opportunities in these dynamic urban areas while still enjoying the close-knit feel of their campus communities.
4. Competitiveness
Similar to the Ivy League's acceptance rates, the Little Ivies have a very low acceptance rate on average. The most competitive one on our list, Williams College, has an acceptance rate of just 7.5%.
The easiest Little Ivy to get into on our list, Wesleyan, still has a relatively low acceptance rate of only 16%.
To get into a Little Ivy, your application has to be as close to perfect as possible, including extracurriculars, SAT scores, supplemental essays and letters of recommendation.
Which Little Ivy is Right For You?
Knowing your major isn’t usually enough to know which Little Ivy is the best fit for you. Each school has its own strengths and weaknesses.
If you need help finding the right university for you and crafting the perfect application, our expert strategists can help!
Students working with Crimson strategists are 7x more likely to gain admission to their dream university!
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About the Author
Crimson Education Strategists
Our Crimson strategists are top graduates from the world's most prestigious universities, including Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Oxford, and Cambridge. They bring their firsthand experience and deep insights to stay ahead of the curve in college admissions, providing you with the most up-to-date strategies for success.
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