Big Ten Conference

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign consistently ranks among the top public universities in the country. Its science and engineering programs are especially strong, and its library is outdone only by the Ivy League. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 31,472 (2006)
• Team: Fighting Illini

The flagship campus of Indiana's state university system, Indiana University at Bloomington has an impressive 2,000 acre park-like campus whose building are often constructed from local limestone. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 29,828 (2006)
• Team: Hoosiers

The University of Iowa, like many schools on this list, has some top-notch academic programs to complement its impressive athletic teams. Nursing, creative writing, and art are all winners, to name just a few. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 20,738 (2006)
• Team: Hawkeyes

Academically, the University of Michigan is probably the strongest school in the Big Ten Conference. On national rankings of public universities, Michigan is usually right up there with Berkeley, Virginia and UCLA. For pre-professionals, Michigan scores big in both business and engineering. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 25,555 (2006)
• Team: Wolverines

Michigan State has a massive 5,200-acre campus in East Lansing, Michigan. With over 45,000 students and close to 700 buildings, Michigan State is a small city unto itself. It may not be a suprise, then, that they have the largest study abroad program in the country. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 35,821 (2006)
• Team: Spartans

With over 50,000 students, the University of Minnesota is the fourth largest university in the country. Strong academic programs include economics, the sciences, and engineering. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 32,113 (2006)
• Team: Golden Gophers

Northwestern University has the distinction of being the only private university in the Big Ten Conference, so you can expect a significantly higher price tag. Nevertheless, Northwestern's academics are hard to beat. The school has strengths across disciplines, from English to Engineering. learn more

• School type: private
• Undergraduate enrollment: 9,179 (2006)
• Team: Wildcats

Ohio State has the distinction of being the largest university in the country, so it's fitting that they have a stadium that can seat 102,000. Ohio State usually ranks among the top 20 public universities in the country, and its programs in law, business, and political science are particularly noteworthy. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 38,479 (2006)
• Team: Buckeyes

Penn State is the flagship campus of Pennsylvania's state university system, and it is also by far the largest. Like several of the big universities on this list, Penn State has strong programs in business and engineering. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 36,612 (2006)
• Teams: Nittany Lions and Lady Lions

Purdue University in West Lafayette is the main campus of the Purdue University System in Indiana. With over 200 academic programs for undergraduates, Purdue offers something for nearly everybody. Chicago is 65 miles away. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 32,668 (2006)
• Team: Boilermakers

The University of Wisconsin frequently ranks among the top ten public universities in the country, and it is well respected for the amount and quality of research conducted in its nearly 100 research centers. But students alo know how to play -- the university frequents lists of top party schools. learn more

• School type: public
• Undergraduate enrollment: 29,639 (2006)
• Team: Badgers