What's the deal with Big Ten colleges?

Hey folks, I'm a junior and starting to think about where I want to apply to college. I keep hearing about 'colleges in the big ten', but I'm not entirely sure what that means or what those colleges are. Can anyone help me understand better?

Absolutely, happy to help! The term "Big Ten" refers to a group of universities that are members of the Big Ten Conference. This conference is one of the oldest Division I college athletic conferences in the United States, dating back to 1896.

While it's known for its athletic achievements, Big Ten schools are also renowned for their academics. All of the member universities are public, with the exception of Northwestern University, which is private. The participating universities are:

1. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

2. Indiana University Bloomington

3. University of Iowa

4. University of Maryland, College Park

5. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

6. Michigan State University

7. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

8. University of Nebraska–Lincoln

9. Northwestern University

10. The Ohio State University

11. University of Oregon

12. Pennsylvania State University

13. Purdue University

14. Rutgers University

15. University of California, Los Angeles

16. University of Southern California

17. University of Washington

18. University of Wisconsin–Madison

Even though it's called the "Big Ten," there are actually 18 current full member schools, as the conference expanded over the years but kept its original name.

These schools tend to have large student bodies, a wide range of majors and programs, vibrant athletics and school spirit, and strong research opportunities. If any of these characteristics appeal to you, Big Ten schools might be a good fit for your college search. Most of them are located in the Midwest, so keep in mind geographic location when considering these institutions.

Hopefully, this helps clarify what the "Big Ten" is! Feel free to ask any more specific questions about these institutions.