Public Ivy League Schools - What’s the list?

I’ve recently heard about the concept of 'Public Ivy League' schools. This definitely piqued my interest but I'm a bit foggy on which universities are considered part of this list. Can anybody help me clarify this?

Sure! The term "Public Ivy" was coined by Richard Moll in his 1985 book entitled "Public Ivies: A Guide to America's Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities", to refer to universities that provide an Ivy League collegiate experience at a public school price.

Though the specific list can vary somewhat depending on who you ask, the commonly included institutions are:

1. The College of William and Mary (Virginia)

2. Miami University (Ohio)

3. University of California's nine campuses, particularly UC Berkeley and UCLA.

4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

5. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

6. University of Texas, Austin

7. University of Vermont

8. University of Virginia

There are also several "unofficial" Public Ivies that are often included in wider lists, like:

1. University of Washington

2. University of Wisconsin-Madison

3. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

4. University of Georgia

However, like the original Ivy League, the term mostly relates to scholarly distinction and historic prestige rather than an official classification or organization. Still, these schools do often have rigorous academics and robust research opportunities that make them comparable to their private Ivy counterparts. They can offer a great value for many students, especially in-state residents who can access lower tuition rates.