THE ELITE.
These are the places that ooze prestige from every crack and crevice of their ivy-covered walls. If you want to scale these lofty heights, you'd better come armed with an impeccable transcript, stratospheric scores, and/or championship-level talent in one or more extracurricular areas. The main dilemma: Do you prefer a liberal arts college offering small classes, close interaction with faculty, and a better chance to be involved in the extracurricular life of the community? Or do you want a comprehensive university with world-class facilities and a world-class name?…

No matter what your aspirations, you'll find outstanding opportunities at both types of institutions.

Brown University.
A charter member of the hot college club ... Flooded with applicants seeking Ivy education without all the stress ... Has toughened requirements but still fighting "soft" image ... Bashed by conservatives as hotbed of political correctness.

University of Pennsylvania.
Prototypical urban university with an emphasis on practical education that dates back to founder Ben Franklin ... The most pre-professional of the Ivy League schools, including the only undergraduate business school ... School spirit and Greek life make Penn more lively than other Ivies ... Still confused with Penn State after 250 years.

Swarthmore College.
Pound for pound, the most intellectual school in the nation ... Nonplused by the demise of its long-struggling football program ... Closeness of student-faculty relations among the best in the nation ... Likely to overwhelm all but the most committed scholars.