Atlantic 10 Conference, A-10

Located on a 290-acre campus, Butler University was founded in 1855 by the attorney and abolitionist Ovid Butler. Undergraduates can choose from 55 degree programs, and the university has an impressive 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 20. Student life at Butler is active with over 140 student organizations. Students come from 43 states and 52 countries. Butler is one of the highest ranked universities in the Midwest.

• Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• School type: private university
• Enrollment: 4,626 (3,889 undergraduates)
• Team: Bulldogs
• For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Butler University profile.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Temple University is a large public university located in North Philadelphia. Temple has 125 Bachelor Degree programs, and programs in business, education, and media are quite popular among undergraduates. The university has a highly diverse student body with over 170 student clubs and organizations. The university also has an active Greek system.

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.