Best Teaching / Education Schools
How are the Top Teaching / Education Programs Chosen?
Appily determines “Best Colleges” based on publicly-available information from the US Department of Education. Several factors include, but are not limited to, data about admitted students’ academic calibers, students’ expected career outcomes after graduation, and colleges’ investments toward making their institution accessible to all students.
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Harvard College is an undergraduate liberal arts school located in Cambridge, MA, within Harvard University. Founded in 1636, this private, very selective, Ivy League college is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and was...
With its liberal arts focus, Harvard provides the type of education that helps you to become a better thinker. You probably won't gain as much concrete knowledge here as you would at a non-liberal arts college, but I think this has more to do with...
” – Cindy
Stanford University is a research institution located in the California town of the same name. The more than 8,000-acre campus features seven schools, the largest of which is the School of Humanities and Sciences, and 80 residential facilities. With...
The sheer diversity of classes is amazing and the quarter system means that you have the opportunity to take a lot of them without overloading youself
” – Charlene from Sandy, UT
Brown University is a private Ivy League research university that was founded in 1764. The university offers more than 40 academic departments. The campus is home to program housing for students who share similar interests, plus substance-free...
Brown University really emphasizes the learning experience for undergraduate students. With no core curriculum, students have the opportunity to explore courses in fields they would not have the opportunity to at other colleges. As a result, a...
” – Nicole from Providence, RI
An Educational Ideal
A liberal arts college amidst a world-renowned research university, the University of Chicago offers a dynamic education, where over 7,000 students from 50 states and 100 countries encounter great thinkers, sharpen critical...
The classes are very educational and require a lot of focus. The best part is the university understands this, and so there are a lot of opportunities to get help from free tutors and TA's almost every day throughout the quarter.
” – Faisal from Los Angeles, CA
Founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League institution in Philadelphia. UPenn hosts 12 schools conferring undergraduate degrees in over 90 academic fields of study. Additionally, UPenn’s Gothic-style...
I think it's the perfect school for me.
” – Katherine from Murrieta, CA
Northwestern University is a 4-year private research institution in the Chicagoland area. Northwestern is home to 12 colleges and schools and is renowned for its Medill School of Journalism, Kellogg School of Management, and Bienen School of Music...
If you can to learn, you will. The professors don't spoon-feed information - instead, they give you the tools to learn the subjects yourself. Also, just hanging out with people (students, and sometimes students hang out with professors) helps you...
” – Allison from Port Barrington, IL
Swarthmore College is a private liberal arts institution in Pennsylvania that was founded in 1864. The college was founded by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and its "most selective" admissions process is also need-blind. The 425-acre...
Swarthmore is one of the toughest colleges in the country, but it pays off. Aside from major intro classes like Psch 1 and Bio 1&2, class sizes are very small. Professors are brilliant and AVAILABLE--unlike profs at huge research universities, they...
” – Some Swattie
Located near the Androscoggin River and Casco Bay, Bowdoin College is a 4-year liberal arts college in coastal Maine. With a focus on using education for the common good, Bowdoin offers undergraduate degrees in over 30 majors. Additionally, Bowdoin...
Attended classes and all were excellent---Chinese 2nd yr, Biomath, Chem, Physics
Profs all accessible and nice, varied classroom environments
What if your next four years exceeded all expectations? Rice University sits in the heart of Houston on a 300-acre, tree-lined campus next to the Texas Medical Center and the Houston Museum District. As a top-tier research institution, we offer more...
Most professors teach well, and expect students to attend lectures and read the assigned material, which leads to good retention of information. Unfortunately, the workload can be somewhat heavy at times, depending on classes taken.
” – Bianca from Angel Fire, NM
Vanderbilt University was founded in 1873 as a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Academically, the university focuses on an interdisciplinary approach, encouraging students to take courses from any of the 143 areas of study. The...
Vanderbilt is often confused with one of them Ivy League schools up in Connecticut or wherever, but with good reason. If you choose to attend the prestigious Vanderbilt University then you will receive a very fine education from professors who want...
” – K from Atlanta, GA
Johns Hopkins University is a private institution in Baltimore and the first research university in the United States. Hopkins confers degrees and certificates in over 260 academic programs. Additionally, Hopkins is home to the Hopkins Applied...
All of the classes are full of material and even the intro classes go above and beyond what one would have learned in high school, and even in an AP class.
” – Alyssa from Grand Blanc, MI
At WashU, you will draw strength from a community of achievers who inspire each other with their creativity and tenacity. You’ll acquire the confidence and skills to succeed as a professional and as a person, ready to change the world. You’ll learn...
The classes I have taken have been interesting and challenging. It's a good idea to do some research on the professor, but generally you can expect a good experience. Class size really varies. I've had classes with 12 students, but also classes with...
” – Catlyne from Wheaton, IL
Georgetown University, founded in 1789, is the oldest Catholic university in the US. Rated as having a “most selective” admissions process, this school ranks #20 in National Universities according to U.S. News & World Report. International Relations...
This really depends on the individual and what kind of learning you feel is most valuable.
Academically speaking, obviously if you choose to slack off and focus on socializing, you might not do so hot even if your classes are awesome. For the most...
Founded in 1813, Colby College is one of the nation's premier liberal arts colleges, serving only undergraduates. Colby’s academic programs, including 57 majors and 36 minors, are anchored to the world’s most complex challenges. Colby’s campus...
Colby College provides a safe and welcoming environment to prospective and new students as well as an experience that is unique, challenging, and gratifying. The largest classes at Colby are probably the introductory science courses, which take place...
” – Angela from Bronx, NY
Tufts University is a 4-year private institution with three campuses in the Boston area. Tufts is home to 12 colleges and schools conferring bachelor’s degrees in over 90 academic majors and minors. The school is known for their popular a capella...
Tufts is often called a baby-ivy meaning that the quality of education here is at par with or better than what students receive at Ivy League schools. The only difference is that it isn't quite as famous as schools like Harvard or Yale. Classes are...
” – Caitlyn from Plainville, MA
The University of Southern California is a high-research institution located in Los Angeles, California, where it’s been educating students since 1880. The university is comprised of two campuses, the main University Park and the Health Sciences...
University of Southern California is among the top universities in the country, and keeps getting better. The professors at the university are all at the top of their fields, and the extensive alumni list proves that the connections that you make...
” – Thomas from Houston, TX
The University of Notre Dame was founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross. It is one of the nation’s top religious schools and holds mass multiple times a day. U.S. News & World Report rates the school as #18 in National...
In and out of the classroom, you are guaranteed to learn...A LOT. From going to conferences and listening to lectures by distinguished professors at many different universities to the actual learning in the classroom (and the fabulous & intelligent...
” – Lindsay from Downers Grove, IL
Founded in 1800 as a ministry training school, Middlebury College is a 4-year liberal arts college in Vermont’s Champlain Valley and the first institution of higher learning established in the state. Middlebury offers bachelor’s degrees in over 45...
The price of tuition is one of the most expensive in the country. Furthermore, Middlebury does not offer merit-based scholarships.
” – Ryan
Founded in 1870, Wellesley College is a 4-year liberal arts college for women in eastern Massachusetts as well as a member of the Seven Sisters Colleges and Three-College Alliance. Wellesley confers undergraduate degrees in over 50 departmental and...
Wellesley is an excellent liberal arts school because, in a nutshell, they teach you how to figure the world out for yourself. They have excellence in everything: faculty, location, students, campus, dining, residential staff, dorms, comprehensive...
” – Christine from Salt Lake City, UT
Emory University is a liberal arts institution located in Atlanta, Georgia, with a second campus in Oxford. The 600-acre campus in the Druid Hills neighborhood is home to four undergraduate and seven graduate colleges, as well as over a dozen...
At Emory university every class is a challenge that you can handle if you apply yourself properly. You can not assume that whatever you did in high school will work here as well, but if you are accepted you should feel confident that you can handle...
” – Sophia from PA
Carnegie Mellon University stands among the world's most renowned educational institutions, and we tap into our diverse community and world-leading digital technologies across business, engineering, the sciences, the humanities and the arts to chart...
The amount of things you learn throughout your classes is amazing to me. Just this past 2 weeks, I've learned so many things about programming that it has made a noticeable change in how I approach problems.
” – Mathew from Jensen Beach, FL
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an institution in the UNC system and the first public university to confer degrees. A member of the Association of American Universities, UNC Chapel Hill is considered a Public Ivy and houses a...
Although some of the classes are large, students have the opportunity for some one on one time with professors and teaching assistants through office hours and smaller versions of lectures called recitations. So no matter the class size, you are...
” – Alexia from Apex, NC
Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University of Virginia is a public institution in Charlottesville. UVA encompasses 12 colleges and schools conferring undergraduate degrees in over 70 fields of study. For artistically-inclined students, UVA...
The great thing about UVA is that it is a public research university - meaning its resources attract the big names in most fields of study. This is great for you, the student, because you get to learn under such academics as Rita Dove and Larry...
” – Jessica from Chester, VA
Originally founded in 1861 as a school for women, Vassar College is a 4-year coeducational liberal arts college in southern New York State. Vassar grants bachelor’s degrees in 51 academic majors and was one of the first schools in the United States...
Vassar's zero core curriculum approach to academics allows any student to explore their academic interests to the fullest degree. The professors are wonderful and the majority have the highest degree possible in their field. They are open to...
” – Erin from Boston, MA
Founded by a local industrialist and philanthropist, Lehigh University is a 4-year private school in eastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. Lehigh is home to colleges of Business, Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Health, and Education granting...
Even though I'm taking mostly prerequisite classes right now, they are more advanced than anything I'd taken in high school and the teaching styles of the professors are conducive to learning. The learning that occurs on campus isn't limited to...
” – Stacy from Hope Valley, RI
Founded in 1868, the University of California at Berkeley is the flagship of the University of California system of higher education, with a campus overlooking the San Francisco Bay. UC Berkeley is known for its academic excellence, student activism...
Berkeley is a great school chock full of award-winning, book-publishing, enthusiastic professors who really know their stuff. If you take classes you're really interested in, you'll learn more. Don't forget about office hours, tutoring sessions, and...
” – Karina from Los Angeles, CA
Boston College is a 4-year Jesuit Catholic University and the first institution of higher learning founded in the city of Boston. BC is home to eight schools and colleges conferring degrees in over 50 fields of study. As a Catholic university, Boston...
BC lives up to its Jesuit ideal in offering a well rounded, liberal arts experience. Small class sizes and engaging professors are essential parts of all classes. BC accepts a great deal of AP and SAT II credits, exempt students from less interesting...
” – Andrea from Lake Forest, CA
The University of California in Los Angeles, better known as UCLA, is one of 10 campuses in the UC system. With 109 academic departments and more than 125 majors offered, as well as an average of one billion dollars funded for research every year and...
The amount of knowledge you will gain during your first year at UCLA will be more valuable than any previous experiences. First, there is the academic aspect. Essentially, the material being taught in college is the same for any school, so self...
” – Joanna from Carson City, NV
Established in 1819, Colgate University is a selective 4-year private liberal arts institution in central New York State and one of the oldest universities in the northeast. Colgate confers bachelor’s degrees in 56 academic majors and the campus is...
I came to Colgate with a pretty narrow idea of what I wanted to study and what I wanted out of my collegiate career. Colgate has, however, reshaped my ideas about the potential of a college education. I thought that both the core program and the...
” – Peter from Hamilton, NY
Founded in 1817, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is the state’s oldest university. U of M has very high research activity and is a often referred to as a Public Ivy. The university at Ann Arbor offers upwards of 260 degrees for undergraduates...
The classes here are pretty intense. I'm a student in the college of Engineering, where group work is an important part of most classes. Most of the core classes like calculus, physics, and chemistry are very large classes, but they all have smaller...
” – Elizabeth from Rochester Hills, MI
On 1,000 acres of Saratoga Springs, New York, is Skidmore College, a liberal arts institution that offers students 43 majors and more than 120 study abroad programs. Considered a "Hidden Ivy," Skidmore routinely makes national lists, including as one...
One can learn a great deal at Skidmore College because the classes are designed to enhance critical thinking and social awareness. Students are encouraged to ask many questions in class discussions and in lectures. Most professors assign research...
” – Rasheed from Brooklyn, NY
Smith College is an all-female liberal arts institution in western Massachusetts and the largest all-women’s college in the country. The biggest school among the Seven Sisters Colleges, Smith offers degrees and certificates in over 50 areas of study...
The academics at Smith are amazing. There are no core classes and the professors are excellent. If there's something Smith doesn't have, you can easily enroll in a class at one of the other colleges of the Five College Consortium.
” – Veronica from Plymouth, MA
Founded in 1834, Wake Forest University is a 4-year private university with a liberal arts curriculum located in Winston-Salem. Wake Forest confers undergraduate degrees in over 40 academic majors and 60 minors and it does not require students to...
Wake is not only a tough school to get into; it is also tough once you get there. Students jokingly call it Work Forest for a reason. Do not be deterred by warnings of tough classes, a degree from Wake means something, and ultimately Wake alumni...
” – Landon from Sanford, NC
Tulane University is private nstitution located in New Orleans, Louisiana. As one of only 62 members in the Association of American Universities, TU is considered a top research university. The campus features five undergraduate schools that provide...
In my first year at Tulane, I learned so much; not only in the classroom, but outside of it as well. At a school where almost 70% of the students are from outside of Louisiana, I had no problem meeting many diverse people, (culturally and...
” – Scott from Stillwater, MN
Boston University is a private, non-profit university with a heavy emphasis on research. BU’s main location is right in its name—Boston, MA—but the university has flagship locations around the world, including in London, Sydney, and Washington, DC...
The faculty is usually attentive and pretty entertaining. Most professors know exactly what they're talking about and provide insight into difficult fields with ease. I took the Core Curriculum and am learning much about history and philosophy. I...
” – Alex from Waco, TX
Brandeis University is a private, nonsectarian institution founded by the Jewish community and named after the Supreme Court’s first Jewish justice. The 235-acre campus is located in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, and home to more than 100...
Brandeis is an all inclusive school with everything a student could wish for. Busting at the seams with student diversity, clubs of all kinds, and professors that you can approach at almost any time, the smaller community of Brandeis University is...
” – ManOfLaMancha
Founded in 1754, Columbia University is a private research university located in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The urban Ivy League campus houses 17 libraries and 20 schools, which offer upwards of 350 majors, as well as the Cathedral of St. John...
The amount of learning that takes place in one semester at Columbia is truly amazing. I have learned more in such a short period of time than I would have ever thought possible. As much as we may all complain about how extensive the Core Curriculum...
” – Nina from Baldwin, NY
The University of Richmond is a 4-year liberal arts university located in Virginia’s capital city. Richmond confers bachelor’s degrees in over 60 academic majors and its Jepson School of Leadership is the first school to offer a Leadership and...
I was challenged more than ever in HS just in my first semester at UR.
” – Valerie from Westerville, OH
Duke University is a selective, private research university that calls Durham, NC, home. Founded originally as Trinity College in 1838, it was renamed by tobacco tycoon James Buchanan Duke in 1924 and became the “Gothic Wonderland” campus it is today...
In high school, I found that I could ace any class with a study cram the night before any test. By doing this, I never truly learned anything. Sure, I remembered enough for the tests and exams, but if someone were to quiz me a week later, I would...
” – Sophomore from Florida
The University of Rochester is private, research university highly ranked in the National Universities list by U.S. News & World Report. It operates under the mission "Learn, Discover, Heal, Create—and Make the World Ever Better" and students can...
The curriculum at the University of Rochester is what really makes it special. There are no general education requirements. The only required course for all majors is a writing class, which is offered in many subject areas to allow you to explore a...
” – Eloise from Rochester, NY
Welcome to the Block Plan, where you’ll take one class at a time for 3 ½ weeks. Prepare to dive into your current passion in small discussion-based classes, where professors will know your name, encourage you to grow, and respect your stride. Master...
Colorado College is one of four colleges within the U.S. that teaches on the block plan. This innovative schedule means that students take one class at a time for three and a half weeks, in which time frame they gain four credit hours. The beauty...
” – Kirstie from El Paso, TX
Founded by the merger of Western Reserve University and Case School of Applied Science, Case Western Reserve University is a 4-year private research institution in Cleveland. Case Western features nine schools conferring bachelor’s degrees in 95...
The classes are very challenging and you definitely have to earn your grade, but when you look back at all you've learned, its worth it!
” – Meaghan from Harrah, OK
As an Ivy League, a research institution, and one of three private land-grant universities in the US, Cornell University admissions are highly competitive. Since Cornell was founded in 1865 in Ithaca, NY, it has been a co-educational, nonsectarian...
With the exorbitant amount of majors offered, it is extremely easy to find your niche at Cornell. As an engineer, I was worried about immediately being funneled into classes filled to the brim with only math and science majors and engineers. I was...
” – Samantha from Ithaca, NY
Originally founded as Washington College in 1823, Trinity College is a 4-year liberal arts college in Hartford and the second oldest college in Connecticut. Trinity offers bachelor’s degrees in 41 academic majors and provides the chance to earn 200...
All of the professors under whom I have studied so far have shown themselves to be extremely knowledgeable. The quality of the education, combined with the academic atmosphere, can be highly beneficial no matter what kind of learner you are.
” – Edwin from Havre, MT
University of California in Santa Barbara is a leading research institution in the city and state of the same name. UCSB is a member of the Association of American Universities, home to the National Center for Ecological Analysis, as well as an...
- The quarter system allows you to take a wide variety of classes to figure out what you're interested in by experiencing different subjects in a short period of time.
- The environment, campus groups, and activities allow you to learn more about...
Founded in 1842 by the friars of the Order of Saint Augustine, Villanova University is a 4-year research institution in the Philadelphia area and the oldest Catholic school in Pennsylvania. Villanova is home to six colleges and schools conferring...
The class experiences are definitely rewarding if you put the time and effort into the course material. Those who stay reasonably caught up with assigned readings and homework will get a lot out of the courses and will find they learn much more than...
” – David from Williamstown, NJ
Founded in 1960, the University of California of San Diego is a research institution located in La Jolla, CA. The 1,200 coastal woodland campus along the Pacific Ocean is home to six undergraduate colleges, five academic divisions, 5 graduate and...
Teachers can be great, but you must go to class to actually learn. I never thought I'd be skipping classes, but it happens and I learned the hard way that this is NOT smart. Discussions with TAs can be incredibly helpful as well. I had a math class...
” – Current Student from San Diego Area
One of the few land-, space-, and sea-grant institutions in the US, the University of Florida is a public research university founded in 1853. It is the eighth largest single-campus university in the United States. U.S. News & World Report have...
This is the best school in the state hands down, and is also a powerful name amongst all colleges in the nation, both private and public.
” – Jerry from San Antonio, FL
Founded in 1874, Macalester College is a 4-year liberal arts college in St. Paul. Macalester confers undergraduate degrees in 39 majors from over 60 academic fields of study. For students who wish to learn in a different culture, Mac offers a Study...
Definitely visit! Macalester has a very definite atmosphere, and it's difficult to imagine yourself as a student there without having physically been there.
” – Rowan from Finlayson, MN
Bucknell University is a highly selective, private liberal arts college located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. As one of the nation's preeminent liberal arts universities and Division I schools, Bucknell offers a world-class learning experience where...
As a small private school, Bucknell pays attention to their students. I have never had a hard time talking or staying after with professors. They truly care that you learn the material and know your name. Taking on average five courses a semester...
” – Margaret from Islip, NY