Southern Ivy League

A colloquial term referring to those universities in the southern United States that are the most academically rigorous and prestigious. Many of these schools are consistently ranked in the top 20 programs nationwide, particularly in the US News rankings. Southerners often disagree on which schools deserve this designation, but three are generally accepted by most people: Duke University, Emory University and Vanderbilt University. Other credible contenders might include Rice University, Tulane University, and Washington University in St. Louis. Meanwhile, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Virginia are often deemed Public Ivies and enjoy similar selectivity quotients.

Related Topics:
United States - Duke University - Emory University - Vanderbilt University - Rice University - Tulane University - Washington University in St. Louis - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - University of Virginia - Public Ivies

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Many other Southern schools and their alumni have attempted to use this term in order to promote their own schools. Alumni of colleges like Stetson, Baylor and Furman have called their schools members of the Southern Ivy League. While these are undeniably fine institutions, the difference between these schools and those that are more credible contenders is that Duke, Emory, Vanderbilt and others offer educational programs on a par or near that offered in the Ivies, and are major research universities. All of the most mentioned universities have schools of law, medicine, theology, business, and, in many cases, public health or another field of study. They are also among the most selective schools nationwide, and have more than just a regional reputation. Proponents of the Southern Ivy League idea generally favor some formal decision on which schools qualify, believing that agreement and selectivity will only serve to further the reputation of Southern education.

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It should be noted that there was a grassroots effort in the late-90's to establish a "Magnolia League" that acted as a Southern answer to the Northern Ivies. Emory, Vanderbilt, Tulane, and other private universities were the schools participating in this effort.

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