01 / KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Compare all 8 Ivy League schools and 18 Little Ivy colleges by state, academic system, and Engineering/STEM.
How to read the numbers| College | Academic System | Engineering/STEM |
|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth College, NHIvy League | 10-week terms · typically 3 courses at a time | YES |
| Union College, NYLittle Ivy | 10-week terms · typically 3 courses at a time | YES |
| Amherst, MALittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Bates College, MELittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Bowdoin College, MELittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Brown University, RIIvy League | Traditional semester | YES |
| Bucknell University, PALittle Ivy | Traditional semester | YES |
| Colby College, MELittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Colgate University, NYLittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Columbia University, NYIvy League | Traditional semester | YES |
| Connecticut College, CTLittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Cornell University, NYIvy League | Traditional semester | YES |
| Hamilton College, NYLittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Harvard University, MAIvy League | Traditional semester | YES |
| Haverford College, PALittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Lafayette College, PALittle Ivy | Traditional semester | YES |
| Middlebury College, VTLittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Penn, PAIvy League | Traditional semester | YES |
| Princeton University, NJIvy League | Traditional semester | YES |
| Swarthmore College, PALittle Ivy | Traditional semester | YES |
| Trinity College, CTLittle Ivy | Traditional semester | YES |
| Tufts University, MALittle Ivy | Traditional semester | YES |
| Vassar College, NYLittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Wesleyan University, CTLittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Williams College, MALittle Ivy | Traditional semester | NO |
| Yale University, CTIvy League | Traditional semester | YES |
No colleges match this search. Try a college name or a two-letter state abbreviation.
Academic systems describe the year’s structure. Short terms and course loads are explained in each college’s source notes.
The Engineering/STEM column’s YES/NO labels refer to engineering degrees offered by the college.
Compare the subjects, degree options, and experiences that fit your interests. Each college’s Sources links to official program information.
SMALL COLLEGES. EXPANSIVE POSSIBILITIES.
Why Little Ivy colleges are so desirable: ambitious academics, professors who know you, and a community you can help shape.
AN INDEPENDENT GUIDE · OCTOBER 2026
For students who want to be
known, challenged, and connected.
02 / WHY THE IVY LEAGUE APPEALS
The Ivy League’s appeal combines demanding academics, research resources, and far-reaching communities. These examples show what students can gain.
The Ivy League is an athletic conference whose eight members are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), Princeton University, and Yale University. See the Ivy League’s official overview.
The Ivy League has a defined membership. “Little Ivies” is an informal label for a separate group of colleges; they are not members of the Ivy League. This chart compares all eight Ivy League schools with 18 Little Ivy colleges. The sections below take a closer look at Dartmouth, the Ivy League counterpart, and Union College, the Little Ivy choice.
Compare Ivy League schools and Little Ivy colleges · Explore the added benefits of Little Ivies
Expert faculty can challenge your thinking and guide original work. At Princeton, professors teach small first-year seminars and advise students on independent research and senior theses.
Princeton’s teaching and mentoringResearch universities offer substantial opportunities across disciplines. Yale connects undergraduates with research, internships, study abroad, and specialized career advising—ways to turn academic interests into experience.
Opportunities at YaleAlumni communities can support professional exploration and lifelong relationships. Harvard’s career network, regional clubs, and shared-interest groups connect students and graduates across fields and places.
Harvard’s alumni resourcesThe value comes from using these opportunities. An Ivy League name alone does not guarantee a job, graduate-school admission, or the right personal fit.
03 / THE ADDED LITTLE IVY BENEFITS
Little Ivies can pair demanding academics with the everyday advantages of a smaller college: closer relationships, an undergraduate focus, and a community where it is easier to become involved.
“Little Ivy” is an informal label, with no official membership or shared admissions standard. Union is this guide’s Little Ivy choice for students seeking 10-week terms, a typical three-course focus, and Engineering/STEM on one undergraduate campus.
About the informal labelPersonal attention, close mentorship, and a strong sense of belonging. These benefits vary by college and are also available at Ivy League schools.
Rigorous reading, writing, research, and debate turn academic ambition into practice. At Williams, tutorials pair two students with a professor for sustained intellectual exchange.
Williams tutorialsSmall classes can make discussion and feedback part of daily life. Union reports average classes of 24 at the introductory level and 14 in upper-level courses.
Union’s class profileFaculty mentorship can begin early. Amherst offers students opportunities to work alongside professors, with research during the academic year and summer.
Research at AmherstThe strongest alumni network is one students can actually use. Bowdoin’s Sophomore Bootcamp connects each participant with two alumni, alongside career preparation.
Bowdoin’s career approachResidential life can connect academic and social interests. Union’s seven Minerva Houses bring students into shared intellectual, social, and leadership activities.
Union’s campus communityResearch, internships, and close advising can help students build toward work or graduate study. Look for evidence in your field—and check the cohort and response rate behind outcome claims.
Explore a college’s outcomes04 / SEMESTER VS. 3 COURSES
A traditional semester spreads study across a longer term, often with more subjects at once. Dartmouth and Union use 10-week terms and typically 3 courses at a time: a focused rhythm that can support deeper engagement and simpler weekly planning.
Fewer simultaneous subjects can make it easier to stay immersed in each one, with fewer shifts between different readings, assignments, and ways of thinking.
A narrower set of subjects can support sustained attention to challenging ideas, thoughtful preparation for discussions, and follow-through on projects.
Coordinating three course schedules can simplify planning for classes, office hours, and study sessions, helping you see where your attention is needed.
These are potential benefits, not guarantees of less work. Individual course loads may vary.
ENGINEERING/STEM · ONE CAMPUS
Complete a 4-year Engineering/STEM education on the same undergraduate campus: keep your faculty mentors, friendships, research opportunities, and liberal arts community as you progress through your degree.
DARTMOUTH · IVY LEAGUE
Dartmouth offers a four-year undergraduate Engineering/STEM education on its Hanover campus, bringing technical study and the liberal arts together. Students can continue into the professional BE at Dartmouth while remaining part of the same campus community.
Dartmouth’s Engineering/STEM programsUNION COLLEGE · LITTLE IVY
Union combines four-year Engineering/STEM degree options with a liberal arts education on one undergraduate campus. Students can build lasting relationships with professors and take part in campus life without transferring to another institution to finish their program.
Union’s Engineering/STEM programsDegree planning: Dartmouth’s four-year AB and professional BE have different requirements. The BE generally adds one to three terms; completing both in four years requires advance planning. Union’s Engineering/STEM degree plans can include a fourth course in some terms. Dartmouth degree requirements · Union degree planning
TWO STANDOUTS: DARTMOUTH & UNION
10-week terms. Typically 3 courses at a time. Engineering/STEM. One campus. For students who want focused study and the breadth of a liberal arts education, Dartmouth and Union offer a compelling combination.
Return to the comparisonAsk about introductory class sizes, access to professors, and how students join research projects.
Read current Engineering/STEM requirements, professional accreditation, and degree timelines. A four-year undergraduate program and a professional degree may have different requirements.
Use the college’s net price calculator and confirm current aid and scholarship terms.
Talk to students about belonging, advising, campus life, internships, and what they would change.