Top Public Universities in the United States

If you are an international student seeking to apply for undergraduate college programs in the US – you have probably heard of all of the famous schools – the Ivy League names that charge tuition fees.

Because of this cost concern, there is a growing trend with students to attend public instead of pricey private schools.  There are some truly world-class public schools in the US, and below we have sourced a list of the best public schools across the country.

It is worth keeping in mind that many public schools offer scholarships that grant international students in-state tuition even when they aren’t residents of the states where the schools are located.  If your grades are outstanding and high tuition is a concern for you, you may wish to look more closely into some of the following public universities for scholarship opportunities.

Top 25 US Public Schools for Undergraduate Education

Rank	School
#1	University of California–​Berkeley  Berkeley, CA
#2	University of California–​Los Angeles  Los Angeles, CA
#2	University of Virginia  Charlottesville, VA
#4	University of Michigan–​Ann Arbor  Ann Arbor, MI
#5	University of North Carolina–​Chapel Hill  Chapel Hill, NC
#6	College of William and Mary  Williamsburg, VA
#7	Georgia Institute of Technology  Atlanta, GA
#8	University of California–​Davis  Davis, CA
#8	University of California–​San Diego  La Jolla, CA
#10	University of California–​Santa Barbara  Santa Barbara, CA
#10	University of Wisconsin–​Madison  Madison, WI
#12	University of California–​Irvine  Irvine, CA
#13	Pennsylvania State University–​University Park  University Park, PA
#13	University of Illinois–​Urbana-​Champaign  Champaign, IL
#13	University of Texas–​Austin  Austin, TX
#13	University of Washington  Seattle, WA
#17	University of Florida  Gainesville, FL
#18	Ohio State University–​Columbus  Columbus, OH
#19	University of Maryland–​College Park  College Park, MD
#19	University of Pittsburgh  Pittsburgh, PA
#21	University of Connecticut  Storrs, CT
#21	University of Georgia  Athens, GA
#23	Purdue University–​West Lafayette  West Lafayette, IN
#23	Texas A&M University–​College Station  College Station, TX
#25	Clemson University  Clemson, SC

- Source: Forbes

Although the top private schools have a longstanding reputation for excellence, the price tag of higher education in the US has risen so much that many schools traditionally considered second tier are now being viewed as equal to the historically most prestigious universities.

And for all of you sports fans out there, keep in mind that public schools often have the advantage of incredible sports cultures. Many of the schools listed above have amazing tradition in football, basketball and many other sports that can make one’s university experience much more rewarding and interesting.

You are always welcome to reach out to me to discuss the pros and cons of different undergraduate schools (and their sports!). I welcome your emails at david@transcendadmissions.com.

Regards,

David Johnston

The Top "Up-and-Coming" Universities in the United States

Many international applicants are only knowledgeable about (aka, obsessed with) a small number of colleges and universities in the United States.  MIT and UC Berkeley are wonderful schools that can provide a great education -- but the vast majority of undergraduate applicants will not be able to gain admission into these iconic schools.  The good news is that you do not have to go to MIT to get a very high quality education in the United States.  There are hundreds of excellent colleges and universities that have all the resources that any student could want.  However, sometimes you need to scratch beneath the surface to understand which schools really offer a great education and solid ROI.   

Below is a list of the best up-and-coming universities in the United States which might give potential undergraduate applicants some fresh ideas about possible schools for the upcoming application season. You may or may not have heard of some of these schools before – but you owe it to yourself to take a closer look at the unique value they provide to international students.

The Top Up-and-Coming Universities in the USA

Rank	School
#1	George Mason University  Fairfax, VA
#1	University of Maryland–​Baltimore County  Baltimore, MD
#3	Drexel University  Philadelphia, PA
#4	Arizona State University  Tempe, AZ
#5	University of Central Florida  Orlando, FL
#5	University of Southern California  Los Angeles, CA
#7	Clemson University  Clemson, SC
#7	Indiana University-​Purdue University–​Indianapolis  Indianapolis, IN
#7	Northeastern University  Boston, MA
#10	Portland State University  Portland, OR
#11	Purdue University–​West Lafayette  West Lafayette, IN
#12	Tulane University  New Orleans, LA
#13	University of Denver  Denver, CO
#14	University of Arkansas  Fayetteville, AR
#14	University of San Diego  San Diego, CA
#16	Biola University  La Mirada, CA
#16	North Carolina State University–​Raleigh  Raleigh, NC
#16	Ohio State University–​Columbus  Columbus, OH
#16	Virginia Commonwealth University  Richmond, VA

- Source: Forbes

When selecting your school list, it is important to strike a balance between cost, quality, future prospects for employment, and other intangible factors. When you create your “game plan” for the upcoming application season, be sure to have at least two or three schools which fall into the ‘match’ and ‘safety’ categories. Consider some of these schools above for your ‘match’ and ‘reach’ choices, and you’ll be in the good company of outstanding students regardless of which of these schools you choose to attend.

If you would like any help talking through the pros and cons of the undergraduate schools listed here, or making the decision about which schools are right to apply to, feel free to reach me at david@transcendadmissions.com.

Focus on What is Important When Researching Your Target Schools

One of the biggest challenges for students applying to undergraduate and graduate schools these days is the overwhelming amount of information available about their target schools. The modern marvel of the Internet has made it easy for applicants to learn everything from student faculty ratios to a professor’s office hours and research, but sometimes it’s easy to get sidetracked with all of that information and lose sight of what is truly important.

Once one’s parents get caught up in the application process, things can become even more complicated.

“School X doesn’t give any financial aid – we shouldn’t bother applying there.”

“School Y doesn’t have an active enough Model UN club – you should only apply to schools that are really active in the Model UN scene since you want to get into international relations in the future…”

If possible, try to focus on what matters to you. According to Compass College Advisory Center, it takes 300-plus hours for parents to help their child through the admissions process. A large part of that time is likely wasted on worrying about details which are not critical.

If you’re just starting the college selection process and are feeling overwhelmed, here are a few tips:

• Set up a weekly meeting with your parents to discuss college, or graduate school research. Don’t allow every dinner discussion to focus on grades, test scores and recent rumors you’ve heard about specific colleges.

• Visit a few schools in person to get the feel for which schools suit your personality and interests. When you and your family visit a school you’ll get a better sense about the environment, the student body, the balance between work and play, and even how the professors treat their students. These are all important factors, but can’t truly be experienced unless you take a visit to your target school.

• Keep a running list of notes on your favorite colleges – the pros and cons – in a shared folder in Dropbox. This will let your parents see which schools you are researching and what you like about them from wherever they are.

• Do your best to determine which colleges are reach, target and safety schools and focus your visits on the reach and target schools first. Prioritize everything accordingly.

• Take a deep breath. You will survive. Your parents will survive. You will get into a school that suits you, make it through the entire application process without killing each other, and be able to look back on the entire application process and laugh in just a few short months.

Keep your personal limitations in mind when you are applying for schools. Especially if you are still taking classes, are working full or part-time – sometimes it can be very easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work you have to do to make your application as perfect as possible.

And of course, if you’d like help thinking through your application strategy and talking through your priorities – you can always reach me at david@transcendadmissions.com.

Application Strategy Review

Let’s review shall we?  At Transcend Admissions we are always immersed in admissions-related material so that we can have the most up to date knowledge on programs and applications strategies. We also make a point of reviewing all of the information that we think we know on a regular basis to ensure we are up to speed with what is important to our clients every single season.

In that spirit, we wanted to take a moment to create a summary that can link you to some important posts we have written in the past on application strategy. We often receive common questions from applicants and we believe that many of the blog posts below can answer those questions and help applicants start to plan their strategies. 

Undergraduate Application Strategy

Common Application Tips: The Activities Section

Common Application Tips: The Short Answer

Common Application Tips: The Personal Essay

Game Plan: Preparing to Apply

Game Plan: Details & Links for Application

Game Plan: Essay Questions

Please Follow the Word Limit!

Overcoming a Low GPA

Five Things Taiwanese Undergraduate Applicants Should Keep in Mind

When Grades and Test Scores are Similar, How Do Admissions Officers Choose?

Graduate Application Strategy

Should I Apply for MBA in the Early Decision Round?

Please Follow the Word Limit!

Guidance for Younger MBA Applicants

Advice for Career MBA Switchers

Should I Take a Break to Prepare for the GMAT?

Overcoming a Low GPA

Choosing Between a 1 and 2 Year MBA Program

Avoiding Common Resume Problems

Deliver Your Core Message

When Grades and Test Scores are Similar, How Do Admissions Officers Choose?

If you’re thinking about applying for an undergrad degree, an MBA, for Law School, or a graduate degree after this summer – you need to be thinking about all of this information now so you can lay your plan before the deadlines arrive.

If you know someone applying to school and think they’d benefit from reading these articles, feel free to share this article with that person!

If you’d like help thinking through your own application strategy you are most welcome to contact me personally at david@transcendadmissions.com.

Five Things Taiwanese Undergraduate Applicants Should Keep in Mind

Do you want to obtain an undergraduate degree at a university in the United States? In many ways, Taiwan students are extremely competitive when they apply to US universities – as they can provide a global perspective and cultural background often missing in many undergraduate programs, a perspective and background that many schools are eager to include in their student body.

With that said, there are a number of things which Taiwanese students need to keep in mind when they are applying to undergraduate programs in the US. Below are five important points I want to share with you as you are going into the summer and seriously starting your application process.

1. Diversity Matters

US universities want their student bodies to be ‘diverse.’ Diversity in this sense means that they want students from many different countries, many different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as students with a diversity of interests. As an applicant from Taiwan, you can craft your unique story in such a way as to emphasize your diversity and gain a competitive edge over students from within the US.

2. Grades Aren’t the Only Thing that Matters

Clearly students are always concerned about their grades and standardized test scores. While these are critical, it is really only the first step. Every student applying to top universities will have outstanding test scores. But there is much more to a successful application than grades and test scores – you must paint a complete picture of who you are as a person - you must be curious, intelligent, creative, generous, and outgoing. The easiest way to show you are this type of well-rounded person is to get involved in clubs, activities and hobbies outside the classroom.

3. Passion

Be passionate! In order to truly express who you are as a person and give colleges insight into how you will impact their community (giving them a reason to admit you), you must show them what you really care about. This doesn’t simply mean mentioning that you love reading – it should be explaining why your favorite book shaped the way you think. It doesn’t simply mean writing that you love basketball – it should be explaining in an essay how the strategy and teamwork involved in basketball have helped you to evolve as a person.

4. Be Yourself

While your application should be professional and well-polished, you should not exaggerate or try to pretend to be someone you are not. Whoever you are right now is already really unique, and it is your job to tell your story and convey the type of individual you are. If you stretch the truth and try to make yourself sound like the best person to ever apply to their university, the admissions committee will become turned off. They read thousands of applications every year, and are trained to understand when applicants are not sincere.

5. Be Creative

Admissions committee members read so many essays every application season and you cannot blame them for getting bored. You need to make your essay stand out somehow to capture their attention so that they will have a memorable impression of you. Thus, instead of simply mentioning your interest in sports – show them through your writing how being involved in sports (or music, or math competitions, or whatever) has helped you lead a more meaningful life, and possibly helped you give back to your community.

There are many factors that go into making your application to an undergraduate program successful, none of which are set in stone. Fundamentally, it is your duty to make yourself seem more interesting, intelligent, creative, and valuable than the other applicants. You need more than grades to accomplish this – you need to craft your story with care and attention to detail. Be yourself and speak to your passions and you’ll be on the right track. And of course, if you’d like any assistance working through how to craft your story that will give you the maximum chance of success, you can always reach me at david@transcendadmissions.com.