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Colleges That Have Students with the Highest IQ

Upon choosing schools, we all want to choose one that could assure success and readiness for the future. The right school that sets our path is more than just about education. Our experiences in college give us a glimpse of the real world, allowing us to learn skills and gain knowledge that could equip us for the near future. With this being said, we all want to be assured of the quality of education that a college can offer. To give you some ideas, here are 10 colleges with students that have the highest IQs: 

California Institute of Technology 

This school is located in Pasadena, California and its average SAT score is 1550. Thanks to its famed STEM programs, Caltech has the smartest pupils in the country. 98 percent of students are in the top 10% of their high school classes, and 79% of graduates pursue a master’s degree. Students also get access to some of the country’s most cutting-edge facilities, like the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Seismological Laboratory, where they may apply what they’ve learned.

University of Chicago 

A school located in Chicago, Illinois, with an average SAT score of 1510 well-known for its quality and prominence (US News ranked it fourth in the country). The University of Chicago is even more well-known for its students’ intelligence. In addition to their excellent SAT scores, 50% of the 2016 class got an ACT score of 31 to 34. 71% of the class of 2014 graduates were employed full-time or enrolled in graduate school by the time they graduated.

Harvard University

We are all familiar with Harvard, and it is no doubt why it is included in the list. Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and for its SAT score average, 1505. 

Harvard has 48 Pulitzer Prize winners and 47 Nobel Laureates among its alumni. While Harvard only accepts 6% of applicants, the school wants to give every talented student the opportunity to study there, so it created HarvardX. This non-profit online learning initiative has reached over 1 million students worldwide.

Yale University 

Yale University is a school with an average SAT score of 1505. This school is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and is also, as we all know, a very famous university. Yale’s undergraduate curriculum aims to provide a wide liberal arts education by allowing students to choose from over 65 different disciplines of study, ranging from anthropology to chemistry to current Middle Eastern studies. To ensure that students get the most out of their four years, Yale, to quote, “does not impose a particular program of study, under the assumption that students who select their own courses will become more engaged with them.”

Princeton University 

A fun fact about Princeton, in the academic year 2014-2015, out of its 26,642 applicants, they only admitted 7.4%. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton University is a college that allows students who are looking for a meaningful challenge to enroll in bachelor’s degree courses at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs or the School of Architecture if none of the preexisting majors appeal to them. The average SAT score here is 1500. 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Many new MIT students have taken Advanced Placement or other international courses. If they do well on AP or other tests, they can receive credit or perhaps finish a semester early. Many Massachusetts  Institute of Technology grads are working for prestigious companies such as Google, Oracle, McKinsey, and Morgan Stanley. This school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and its average SAT scores are 1495. 

Harvey Mudd College

Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, is next on the list. Harvey Mudd is a liberal arts college with a focus on engineering and computer technology. This college guarantees that its pupils will study in all areas with a comprehensive core curriculum that includes humanities and social sciences as well as math and science. The average SAT score of this college is 1494. 

Columbia University 

According to US news, Columbia University has been ranked as 3rd  best school in the country by high school guidance counselors and 4th best college in the overall US rankings for the best college. Two US presidents became instructors at Columbia University. It counts 82 Nobel Laureates from its alumni. 4 US Presidents became students of Columbia University, namely, Barack Obama, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The average SAT score in this university is 1480. Columbia’s mascot is a lion, and fun fact: the MGM Studio’s Lion is based on Columbia’s mascot! Columbia University is also known for being the home of Pulitzer Prize awardees. 

Stanford University

Stanford University is one of the most research-intensive universities in the world. More than 54 Stanford faculty, staff, and alumni have won the Nobel Prize since 1952, making Stanford the university with the most winners. Its current faculty includes 19 Nobel Laureates and four Pulitzer Prize winners. Among Stanford’s graduates are 30 living millionaires and 17 current astronauts. Among the noteworthy Stanford attendees are Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Reese Witherspoon, and Tiger Woods. Also, a great fact to note about Stanford is its lengthy history of and involvement with space exploration activity. Twenty-one of the more than 500 astronauts NASA has ever trained is Stanford graduates. 

Northwestern University 

Northwestern University is known for its diverse student body, competitive academics, and excellent athletic program. It is a university located in Chicago, Illinois, with an average SAT score of 1475. Not interested in running a marathon? Northwestern University doesn’t mind if students run 26.6 miles, but we’d better be ready for a 30-hour dance marathon! The Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM) has raised over $16 million since its beginning in 1975. Another bonus fact for this marathon, it is the largest student-run charity event in the country! David Schwimmer and Stephen Colbert are both alumni of Northwestern University, and both even were part of an improv group called “The No-Fun Mud Piranhas.” 


I have shown you what the top-performing schools are and what makes them so great through this list. These schools are the best colleges, and students really perform and show great levels of excellence.