Top Colleges In California

All together, this adds up to a state with an abundance of high-value colleges. To generate our list of top California colleges, we looked at the top-scoring schools on both our main ranking (which includes 623 colleges) and our selective colleges list (48 schools.)

top colleges in california

UC Irvine is one of the best colleges in California for doctors, with a strong reputation in neuroscience and cancer research. The UC Irvine ranking is #34 in national universities, just below the UCSB ranking. The school is located in a suburban college setting in Orange County, CA. Students at UC Irvine can also venture out of Irvine and into Los Angeles and the surrounding area.

The UC system also includes UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Merced (graduate studies only). Incredibly, these schools can all be counted among the top colleges in California. However, note that the UC Davis ranking is below the UC Irvine ranking. The UCSD ranking and the UC Santa Cruz rankings are also slightly lower than their others in the UC system. However, the UCSD ranking is by no means low, nor is the UC Santa Cruz ranking.

Caltech is another one of the top universities in California, particularly for science and engineering. As the Caltech ranking shows, Caltech is one of the best colleges in California for biology. However, with an undergraduate enrollment of under 1000 students, getting a place at this top-ranked school is no easy task. Its acceptance rate, like the Stanford acceptance rate, is just 4%.

According to U.S. News, the Pomona College ranking is #3 in national liberal arts colleges. Pomona has a particularly strong reputation in the humanities, though it also offers programs in STEM fields. Over half of Pomona students study abroad at some point in their undergraduate careers.

The Pitzer College ranking is #33 among liberal arts colleges, slightly below the Harvey Mudd ranking. However, the Pitzer College ranking is by no means low. Pitzer is one of the best colleges in California for biology, and almost 75% of students study abroad at some point in their undergraduate degree.

As you can see, the Claremont Colleges are consistently ranked as the best colleges in California. These schools have vast resources and a powerful consortium network despite their small college size. This makes them some of the top colleges in California by any metric.

However, there are also plenty of top California colleges beyond the Claremont Colleges. These include Occidental College, Vanguard University, and MiraCosta College, among others. So, feel free to think beyond the Claremonts as you look for the top colleges in California.

Top universities in California come in all shapes and sizes. So, as you search for top California colleges, you should look at both public and private institutions. This will help you find the best colleges in California for you.

Students at Foothill College can graduate with an Associate in Arts or Sciences and either enter the job market or transfer to a four-year institution. Like many other community colleges in California, Foothill also allows students to transfer into schools within the California State University system. So, the community colleges in California can be great stepping stones for many students before they pursue a B. S. or B. A. at another school.

When exploring the best colleges in California, institutions within the University of California system are popular options. Why do the UC campuses rank as some of the top California colleges? There are many reasons for the consistently impressive University of California rankings as top universities in California. They tell us that students will have access to advanced facilities with knowledgeable professors from many fields.

Another one of the best colleges in California, UC Santa Cruz offers its students degrees in most major disciplines. In this college setting, students will enjoy a small liberal arts feel with all the advantages of a major research university.

When researching the best colleges in California, you might focus on the UC system rather than the California State University system. However, the CSUs are also some of the top colleges in California. Like the UC system, the California State system houses multiple public universities in California. There are 23 campuses within the California State University system. Yearly, the CSU educates over 477,000 students.

Universities within the CSU system strive to be affordable options for students. In fact, the California State University rankings show that these are not only some of the top California colleges, but also some of the best budget options nationwide. More than half of CSU students graduate with no student loan debt. Wow, no wonder these are considered some of the top colleges in California!

Like the UC and CSU schools, these are some of the top colleges in California. Unlike the institutions in the UC and CSU system, the Claremont Colleges are all private colleges in California near each other. As the name implies, all of the Claremont Colleges are located in Claremont, a city in Southern California. Located on over 500 acres of land, the Claremont Colleges are home to 9,000 students. These colleges consistently make top colleges in California lists.

Similar to the UC and CSU system, applicants who hope to attend one of the private colleges in California that make up the Claremont Colleges will need to apply to the specific campus and institution.

With the national Harvey Mudd ranking remaining high, Harvey Mudd College is one of the best colleges in California, The Harvey Mudd ranking shows us that it is one of the top engineering, science, and mathematics colleges in the nation. The undergraduate enrollment is small, at just 905 students. The top three majors are engineering, computer and information sciences and support services, and Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies.

When deciding to study in California, there are many choices for top colleges in California or top universities in California. So, how do you decide which are the best colleges in California for you? You should consider things like college location, college size, and college rankings to help narrow down your choices. Furthermore, knowing your major can help you find the top colleges in California for your intended path of study.

The UCLA ranking as one of the best colleges in California holds true when it comes to business majors as well. The Anderson School of Management offers many undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business.

Choosing the top colleges in California for business is a personal choice. In the same way, choosing the best colleges in California for doctors depends a lot on your individual needs. However, there are many top California colleges lists to help you find top-ranking pre-med programs.

The low acceptance rates at many of the top colleges in California mean that you need to put extra effort into your application. This means crafting persuasive and well-written college essays, paying close attention to your extracurriculars, and keeping your GPA high.

Community colleges have many benefits, including flexible schedules, low tuition prices, transferable credits, and online classes. Going to community college might be a good fit for you if you are taking a non-traditional college path, want to work a full-time job while you attend college, or are saving up to attend a more expensive graduate school. Plus, the community colleges in California have a deal with the California state college system, making it very easy to transfer your community college credits after a few years and enroll in one of the best universities in California.

Even if you are aiming to attend one of the best colleges in California, like UC Berkeley or Caltech, you need to balance out your college list with some safety schools. Here are some schools in California that are less selective if your top priority is to be in California:

While reading this article about the best colleges in California, you might have been wondering: how much does it cost to attend one of the top universities in California, like Stanford or Caltech? The price of college tuition is a very influential factor for many families when it comes to choosing what university to attend but worry not: you can still attend one of the best colleges in California without breaking the bank.

Another college that ranks high on the list of most expensive colleges in the United States is USC, the University of Southern California. One of the best colleges in California, USC is the fourth most expensive college in the U.S., and the second most expensive college in California.

Since Stanford has such a low acceptance rate, doing research on Stanford and knowing as much about the university as possible will be helpful. When looking to get into one of the best colleges in California, you should be sure to check out the schools ahead of the application deadline.

CollegeAdvisor also has webinars and articles for students searching for more information on demystifying the college process. Many of our webinars are panels featuring students who have attended some of the best colleges in California, as well as former Admissions Officers who have worked on admissions committees for some of the top colleges in California.

One aspect of applying to the best colleges in California that frequently arises with our students is how to apply to the UCs. Since the UC application is so unique, and the UCs are such prestigious research universities that rank among the best universities in California, they are very popular schools.

California is home to many incredible colleges. The best colleges in California include some of the best public universities in the country, as well as elite private schools like Stanford and Caltech, renowned small liberal arts colleges like the Claremont Colleges, and high-ranking, affordable public universities like the CSUs.

The UC system is one of the best public university systems in the country, and many UCs rank among the best colleges in California. In fact, UCLA and UC Berkeley fall within the top five universities in California, and other campuses like UC San Diego, UC Davis, and UC Santa Barbara are all listed within the top 10 best colleges in California. 041b061a72