Greetings from the rainy, cloudy Jersey Shore. I recently took an early morning walk at the beach on a cloudless day with blue skies and a sea breeze. I was repping a t-shirt from the Public Ivy where my favorite 2017 client is a student. The shirt (pictured above) just says Public Ivy and I wondered as I walked, if people passing me knew what school the graphics represented or what a Public Ivy is and voilà…I had the inspiration for a new post.

“Public Ivy” is a term from the book by Richard Moll, Public Ivies: A Guide to America’s Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities in 1985. Moll traveled around the United States and named the eight schools listed below the “Public Ivies” due to the look and feel of their campuses and the academic excellence that they offer. Moll determined that these schools provide an education equivalent to an Ivy League school, at a more affordable price. The original Public Ivies are:

1. University of Vermont

2. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

3. Miami University of Ohio

4. College of William & Mary

5. University of Virginia

6. University of Texas-Austin

7. University of California

8. University of Michigan

If you want a school with a traditional college feel, a gorgeous campus, research opportunities, traditions and school spirit, all combined with a first-rate education, check out the Public Ivies!