The Mid-American Conference is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and most members are from the Great Lakes region. All members are public universities, and the schools have notable academic programs to complement their NCAA Division I athletics. Admissions criteria vary widely -- click on the profile link to get average ACT and SAT scores, acceptance rates and financial aid information.
Compare the Mid-American Conference schools: SAT chart | ACT chart
Explore other top conferences: ACC | Big East | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac 10 | SEC
Also be sure to visit the About.com guides for college football and basketball.
1. Akron
Trever Fischer / Flickr
Located on 222 acres in metropolitan Akron, the University of Akron has many strengths in engineering and business. The university recently completed a major project of expanding and upgrading campus facilities.
- Location: Akron, Ohio
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 18,974 (2007)
- Team: Zips
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the University of Akron profile
2. Ball State
mandy pantz / Flickr
Located about an hour from Indianapolis, Ball State University has many popular preprofessional programs in fields such as business, education, communications, and nursing. The Communications and Media Building is named after the school's most famous alumnus, David Letterman.
- Location: Muncie, Indiana
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 16,694 (2007)
- Team: Cardinals
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the Ball State University profile
3. Bowling Green
Bhockey10 / Wikimedia Commons
Located a half hour south of Toledo, Ohio, Bowling Green State University has strengths in many academic areas including business, education, and popular culture studies. Strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned BGSU a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
- Location: Bowling Green, Ohio
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 15,638 (2007)
- Team: Falcons
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the Bowling Green State University profile
4. Buffalo
Kiaraho / Wikimedia Commons
The University at Buffalo is the largest member of the State University of New York system. It's strengths in research earned it membership into the Association of American Universities.
- Location: Buffalo, New York
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 18,779 (2007)
- Team: Bulls
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the University of Buffalo profile
5. Central Michigan
powerbooktrance / flickr
Central Michigan University offers some notable programs including microscopy and meteorology, and the school can boast of the country's first accredited athletic training program and the country's largest leisure studies program.
- Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 20,078 (2007)
- Team: Chippewas
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the Central Michigan University profile
6. Eastern Michigan
sandranahdar / Flickr
Eastern Michigan has some well-regarded programs in business, forensics and education, and the university also wins high marks for its African-American graduation numbers. Students participate in over 340 clubs and organizations.
- Location: Ypsilanti, Michigan
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 17,962 (2007)
- Team: Eagles
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the Eastern Michigan University profile
7. Kent State
marquis / Flickr
Kent State can boast of a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, but business administration, nursing and psychology are the most popular undergraduate majors.
- Location: Kent, Ohio
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 18,090 (2007)
- Team: Golden Flashes
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the Kent State University profile
8. Miami OH
ellievanhoutte / Flickr
Founded in 1809, Miami University is one of the oldest public universities in the country. The school does well in national rankings of public universities, and its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned it a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
- Location: Oxford, Ohio
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 14,589 (2007)
- Team: RedHawks
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the Miami University profile
9. Northern Illinois
Birdfreak / Flickr
Northern Illinois University is located 65 miles from downtown Chicago, and it is the second largest university in Illinois. The business program is both popular and well regarded. High achieving students should look into the Honors Program.
- Location: DeKalb, Illinois
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 18,917 (2007)
- Team: Huskies
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the Northern Illinois University profile
10. Ohio
mbeldyk / flickr
Established in 1804, Ohio University is the oldest public university in Ohio and one of the oldest in the country. The Scripps College of Communication wins high marks for its quality, and its programs are extremely popular among undergraduates.
- Location: Athens, Ohio
- School type: Public University
- Undergraduate enrollment: 17,384 (2007)
- Team: Bobcats
- For acceptance rates, test scores, costs and financial aid data, see the Ohio University profile
