Atlantic Coast Conference Schools

A university in the Atlantic Coast Conference may be a good choice if you want your college experience to include packed stadiums, deafening arenas, and massive tailgate parties. Be sure to click on the "learn more" links below to find out what it takes to get accepted at each of the member schools. You'll discover that these universities have strong academics and research to complement their athletics. The conference's member schools span a huge geographic area from Massachusetts to Florida.

The ACC is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA's Division I.

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Boston College

One of the top Catholic colleges in the country, Boston College features beautiful Gothic architecture on campus in the Boston suburb of Chestnut Hill. The undergraduate business program is particularly strong. Another perk is the proximity to dozens of other Boston area colleges.

Location: Boston, Massachusetts
School type: private, Jesuit
Enrollment: 14,466 (9,870 undergraduates)
Team: Eagles
Explore the campus: Boston College photo tour
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Boston College profile

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Clemson University

A highly-ranked public university in South Carolina, Clemson sits among the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the shores of Lake Hartwell. Business and engineering are particularly popular, and Clemson distinguishes itself with a strong commitment to service learning. The football team has been particularly strong in recent years.

Location: Clemson, South Carolina
School type: public
Enrollment: 23,406 (18,599 undergraduates)
Team: Tigers
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Clemson University profile

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Duke University

Of all the Atlantic Coast Conference universities, Duke is the hardest to get into. Both the acceptance rate and caliber of student makes Duke comparable to several of the Northeastern Ivy League schools. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke's campus has some stunning Gothic architecture.

Location: Durham, North Carolina
School type: private
Enrollment: 15,735 (6,609 undergraduates)
Team: Blue Devils
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Duke University profile

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Florida State University

One of the flagship campuses of the Florida state university system, FSU sits just west of Tallahassee and is an easy drive to the Gulf of Mexico. Academic strengths at Florida State include music, dance, and engineering. Florida State is the largest university in the ACC.

Location: Tallahassee, Florida
School type: public
Enrollment: 41,173 (32,933 undergraduates)
Team: Seminoles
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Florida State University profile

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Georgia Tech

Located in Atlanta, Georgia Tech is an academic powerhouse that made it onto the list of top public universities and top engineering schools. And yes, their athletic programs are also excellent.

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
School type: public
Enrollment: 26,839 (15,489 undergraduates)
Team: Yellow Jackets
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Georgia Tech profile

Atlantic 10 Conference, A-10

By Allen Grove

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Miami (University of Miami)

Business and nursing are extremely popular at the University of Miami, and the school also boasts of a top-ranked marine biology program. Located in the well-to-do suburb of Coral Springs, not Miami, the university's campus is defined by modern white buildings, fountains, and palm trees.

Location: Coral Gables, Florida
School type: private
Enrollment: 16,744 (10,792 undergraduates)
Team: Hurricanes
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information, see the University of Miami profile

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North Carolina (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Academically, UNC Chapel Hill is probably the strongest of the public universities on this list, and their Kenan-Flagler Business School made the list of top undergraduate business schools. Opened in 1795, Chapel Hill has a beautiful and historic campus. For North Carolina residents, the university is an exceptional value.

Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
School type: public
Enrollment: 29,468 (18,522 undergraduates)
Team: Tar Heels
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the UNC Chapel Hill profile

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North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and it is the largest university in North Carolina. The most popular undergraduate programs are in business, engineering, the sciences and the social sciences.

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
School type: public
Enrollment: 33,755 (23,827 undergraduates)
Team: Wolfpack
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the North Carolina State University profile

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Syracuse University

Located in the Finger Lakes region of central New York, Syracuse University's programs in media studies, art and business are all worth a look, to name just a few. The university's strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned Syracuse a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Location: Syracuse, New York
School type: Private
Enrollment: 21,970 (15,218 undergraduates)
Team: Orange
Explore Campus: Syracuse University Photo Tour
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Syracuse University profile

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University of Louisville

Students at the University of Louisville come from all 50 states and over 100 foreign countries. Students have a wide range of academic options through the university's 13 schools and colleges. Professional fields such as business, criminal justice, and nursing are all extremely popular.

Location: Louisville, Kentucky
School type: public university
Enrollment: 21,578 (15,826 undergraduates)
Team: Cardinals
GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Louisville admission
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the University of Louisville profile.

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University of Notre Dame

Among the Big East universities, Notre Dame is second only to Georgetown for its high selectivity. 70% of accepted students rank in the top 5% of their high school class. Notre Dame undergraduates go on to earn a remarkably high number of Doctoral degrees, and the university's academic strengths have earned it a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Location: Notre Dame, Indiana
School type: Private, Catholic
Enrollment: 12,393 (8,530 undergraduates)
Team: Fighting Irish
Explore the Campus: University of Notre Dame Photo Tour
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Notre Dame profile

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University of Pittsburgh

Pitt has wide-ranging strengths including Philosophy, Medicine, Engineering and Business. The university often ranks among the top 20 public universities in the U.S., and its strong research programs have earned it membership in the exclusive Association of American Universities.

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
School type: Public
Enrollment: 28,664 (19,123 undergraduates)
Team: Panthers
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the University of Pittsburgh profile

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Virginia (University of Virginia at Charlottesville)

The Lawn at the University of Virginia — Allen Grove

Established by Thomas Jefferson, the University of Virginia has one of the most historic and beautiful campuses in the U.S. It also has the largest endowment of any public university. The University of Virginia, along with Georgia Tech and UNC Chapel Hill, made my list of top public universities.

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
School type: public
Enrollment: 23,898 (16,331 undergraduates)
Team: Cavaliers
Explore the Campus: University of Virginia Photo Tour
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the University of Virginia profile

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Virginia Tech

Located in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech typically ranks among the top 10 public engineering schools. It also earns high marks for its business and architecture programs. Virginia Tech maintains a corps of cadets, and since its founding in 1872 the school has been classified as a military college.

Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
School type: public
Enrollment: 33,170 (25,791 undergraduates)
Team: Hokies
Explore the Campus: Virginia Tech Photo Tour
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Virginia Tech profile

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Wake Forest University

Reynolda Hall at Wake Forest — Allen Grove

One of the four private universities in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Wake Forest was one of the first highly competitive colleges to make SAT and ACT scores optional for admissions. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest provides its students with a great balance of a small college academic experience and a large university sports scene.

Location: Winston Salem, North Carolina
School type: private
Enrollment: 7,968 (4,955 undergraduates)
Team: Demon Deacons
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs, and other information see the Wake Forest University profile

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Grove, Allen. "Atlantic Coast Conference Schools." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/acc-the-atlantic-coast-conference-786990. Grove, Allen. (2023, April 5). Atlantic Coast Conference Schools. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/acc-the-atlantic-coast-conference-786990 Grove, Allen. "Atlantic Coast Conference Schools." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/acc-the-atlantic-coast-conference-786990 (accessed April 19, 2024).