Overview of the NCAA Atlantic 10 Conference

The Atlantic 10 Conference is a NCAA Division I athletic conference whose 14 members come from the eastern half of the United States. The conference headquarters are located in Newport News, Virginia. About half of the members are Catholic universities. In addition to the 14 colleges listed below, the A-10 has two associate members for field hockey: Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania and Saint Francis University.

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Davidson College

Established by the Presbyterians of North Carolina in 1837, Davidson College is now one of the country's top liberal arts colleges. For a school of well under 2,000 students, Davidson is unusual for its strong Division I athletic program. Nearly a quarter of Davidson students participate in varsity athletics. On the academic front, Davidson was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences.

Location: Davidson, North Carolina
School type: Private liberal arts college
Enrollment: 1,755 (all undergraduate)
Team: Wildcats
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Davidson College admissions profile.

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Duquesne University

Duquesne University was founded in 1878 by the Catholic Order of the Holy Spirit, and it stands today as the only Spiritan university in the world. Duquesne's compact 49-acre campus sits on a bluff overlooking downtown Pittsburgh. The university has 10 schools of study, and undergraduates can choose from 100 degree programs. The university has a 15 to 1 student/faculty ratio. In keeping with its Catholic-Spiritan tradition, Duquesne values service, sustainability, and intellectual and ethical inquiry.

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
School type: private Catholic university
Enrollment: 9,933 (5,677 undergraduates)
Team: Dukes
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Duquesne University profile

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Fordham University

Fordham University describes itself as "an independent university in the Jesuit tradition." The main campus sits next to the Bronx Zoo and the Botanical Garden. Fordham University has a 12 to 1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 22. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, the university was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Preprofessional programs in business and communication studies are most popular among undergraduates.

Location: Bronx, New York
School type: private Catholic university
Enrollment: 15,189 (8,427 undergraduates)
Team: Rams
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Fordham University profile

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George Mason University

George Mason University is a relatively young school first established as a branch of the University of Virginia in 1957 and founded as an independent institution in 1972. Since then, the university has been expanding rapidly. Aside from its main campus in Fairfax, Virginia, GMU also has branch campuses in Arlington, Prince William, and Loudoun counties. The university's many successes recently landed it at the very top of U.S. News & World Report's list of "Up-and-Coming Schools."

Location: Fairfax, Virginia
School type: public university
Enrollment: 33,320 (20,782 undergraduates)
Team: Patriots
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the George Mason University profile

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George Washington University

The George Washington University (or GW) is a private university located in Foggy Bottom of Washington, D.C., close to the White House. GW takes advantage of its location in the nation's capital -- graduation is held on the National Mall, and the curriculum has an international emphasis. International relations, international business, and political science are some of the most popular majors among undergraduates. For its strengths in the liberal arts and science, GW was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Location: Washington, D.C.
School type: private university
Enrollment: 25,260 (10,406 undergraduates)
Team: Colonials
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the George Washington University profile

Colonial Athletic Association

By Allen Grove

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La Salle University

La Salle University believes that a quality education involves both intellectual and spiritual development. La Salle's students come from 45 states and 35 countries, and the university offers over 40 bachelor's degree programs. Professional fields in business, communications and nursing are the most popular among undergraduates. The university has a 13 to 1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 20. High achieving students should look into the university's Honors Program for opportunities to pursue more challenging courses of study.

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
School type: private Catholic university
Enrollment: 6,685 (4,543 undergraduates)
Team: Explorers
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the La Salle University profile

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St. Bonaventure University

St. Bonaventure University's 500-acre campus is situated in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains in Western New York. Founded in 1858 by Franciscan friars, the university maintains its Catholic affiliation today and places service at the heart of the St. Bonaventure experience. The school has a 14 to 1 student/faculty ratio, and undergraduates can choose from more than 50 majors and minors. Programs in business and journalism are well regarded and extremely popular among undergraduates.

Location: St. Bonaventure, New York
School type: private Catholic university
Enrollment: 2,450 (1,958 undergraduates)
Team: Bonnies
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the St. Bonaventure University profile

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Saint Joseph's University

Located on a 103-acre campus in western Philadelphia and Montgomery Country, Saint Joseph's University has a history dating back to 1851. The college's strengths in the liberal arts and science earned it a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Many of Saint Joseph's most popular and distinguished programs, however, are in business fields. Undergraduates can choose from 75 academic programs.

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
School type: private Catholic university
Enrollment: 9,011 (5,500 undergraduates)
Team: Hawks
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Saint Joseph's University profile

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Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University has the distinction of being the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the country. SLU frequently appears on lists of the country's best colleges, and it often ranks among the top five Jesuit universities in the U.S. The university has a 13 to 1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 23. Professional programs such as business and nursing are particularly popular among undergraduates. Students come from all 50 states and 90 countries.

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
School type: private Catholic university
Enrollment: 17,859 (12,531 undergraduates)
Team: Billikens
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Saint Louis University profile

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University of Dayton

The University of Dayton's program in entrepreneurship has been ranked highly by U.S. News and World Report, and Dayton also gets high marks for student happiness and athletics. The University of Dayton made my list of the country's best Catholic universities.

Location: Dayton, Ohio
School type: private Catholic university
Enrollment: 11,045 (7,843 undergraduates)
Team: Flyers
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the University of Dayton profile

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University of Massachusetts at Amherst

UMass Amherst is the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system. As the only public university in the Five College Consortium, UMass offers the benefit of state tuition with easy access to classes at Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire and Smith. The large UMass campus is easy to recognize because of the W.E.B. DuBois Library, the tallest college library in the world. UMass frequently ranks among the top 50 public universities in the U.S., and it has a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

Location: Amherst, Massachusetts
School type: public university
Enrollment: 28,084 (21,812 undergraduates)
Team: Minutemen
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the UMass Amherst profile

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University of Rhode Island

The University of Rhode Island often ranks highly for both its academic programs and its educational value. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, URI was awarded a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. High achieving students should look into the URI Honors Program which offers special academic, advising and housing opportunities.

Location: Kingston, Rhode Island
School type: public university
Enrollment: 16,317 (13,219 undergraduates)
Team: Rams
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the University of Rhode Island profile

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University of Richmond

University of Richmond undergraduates can choose from 60 majors, and the college typically does well in national rankings of liberal arts colleges and undergraduate business programs. Students can also choose from 75 study-abroad programs in 30 countries. The school's strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned it a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Richmond has an impressive 8 to 1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 16.

Location: Richmond, Virginia
School type: private university
Enrollment: 4,348 (3,389 undergraduates)
Team: Spiders
Explore the Campus: University of Richmond Photo Tour
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the University of Richmond profile

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Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University occupies two campuses in Richmond: the 88-acre Monroe Park Campus sits in the historic Fan District while the 52-acre MCV Campus, home to the VCU Medical Center, is located in the financial district. The university was founded in 1968 by the merger of two schools, and looking ahead VCU has plans for significant growth and expansion. Students can choose from 60 baccalaureate degree programs, with the arts, sciences, social sciences and humanities all being popular among undergraduates. At the graduate level, VCU's health programs have an excellent national reputation.

Location: Richmond, Virginia
School type: Public university
Enrollment: 31,627 (23,498 undergraduates)
Team: Rams
For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Virginia Commonwealth University profile

Atlantic 10 Conference, A-10