What is an elite private- and who are they?
The definition of an "elite private" is in the name. "Elite" refers to the fact that it is highly ranked, usually in the top 50 national university or liberal arts rankings by U.S. News and World Report. "Private" means that the university receives no state funding and charges the same tuition to in-state and out-of state residents. Examples of "elite privates" include:
Harvard University
Yale University
The University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
Emory University
Vanderbilt University
Boston College
University of Southern California
Amherst College
Pomona College
Colgate University
Bowdoin College
...and many more. There are also some universities, such as the University of Virginia and UNC Chapel Hill, that are public but highly-ranked. They can be seen as private by out-of-staters because these students pay a higher price to go there. Although out of state tuition is not always as high as that of an elite private, the two sets of figures are comparable and are both a burden for middle to upper-middle class families to pay.
Harvard University
Yale University
The University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
Emory University
Vanderbilt University
Boston College
University of Southern California
Amherst College
Pomona College
Colgate University
Bowdoin College
...and many more. There are also some universities, such as the University of Virginia and UNC Chapel Hill, that are public but highly-ranked. They can be seen as private by out-of-staters because these students pay a higher price to go there. Although out of state tuition is not always as high as that of an elite private, the two sets of figures are comparable and are both a burden for middle to upper-middle class families to pay.