List of Most Popular Colleges

US News & World Report has released a list of most popular colleges in the US. The determining factor in this ranking was the percentage of admitted students that actually enrolled at the school. This measure is called yield. A school with a high yield means that the school is usually a first choice for most students that apply for admission. Consequently, a school with a low yield means that that school is a “safety” school for most students that apply. Not surprisingly, the schools that appear at the top of this list are also highly selective in the admission process. Harvard University tops the list for the most popular National University while the top spot in the Liberal Arts Colleges category was claimed by the United States Naval Academy.

Top Ten Most Popular Liberal Arts Colleges

• United States Naval Academy (MD)
• United States Military Academy (NY)
• Thomas Aquinas College (CA)
• Berea College (KY)
• Virginia Military Institute
• St. John’s College (NM)
• Wheaton College (IL)
• Calvin College (MI)
• St. John’s University (MN)
• St. Mary’s College (IN)

Top Ten Most Popular National Colleges

• Harvard University (MA)
• Brigham Young University (UT)
• University of Nebraska — Lincoln
• Stanford University (CA)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Yale University (CT)
• Princeton University (NJ)
• University of Pennsylvania
• Yeshiva University (NY)
• University of Florida

What do you think of this list? Are you surprised to find/not find a college in this list. Share your thoughts below.

Further reading: Top 100 Best Value Colleges for 2009