On the other side of U.S. News and World Report's National Universities Rankings is the National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings.
While the former is made up of mostly elite research schools with renowned graduate and PhD programs, the latter is more focused on undergraduate programs. This year, the U.S. Naval Academy made the top 10 for the first time ever.
"Taking into account how well a school supports its students from freshman year through graduation is important," Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer at U.S. News, said in a news release. "To find the best fit, students should consider a range of factors, from financial aid offerings and location to campus size and majors. The process can be overwhelming, but our rankings and advice content are a great place to start."
Click HERE for the methodology behind National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings and HERE for the full list. Below is the top 10.
1. Williams College
Location: Williamstown, Mass.
Acceptance rate: 19.3 percent
Enrollment: 2,045
2. Amherst College
Location: Amherst, Mass.
Acceptance rate: 13.8 percent
Enrollment: 1,792
3. Swarthmore College
Location: Swarthmore, Penn.
Acceptance rate: 17 percent
Enrollment: 1,542
4. Bowdoin College
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Acceptance rate: 14.9 percent
Enrollment: 1,805
4. Middlebury College
Location: Middlebury, Vt.
Acceptance rate: 17.2
Enrollment: 2,526
4. Pomona College
Location: Claremont, Calif.
Acceptance rate: 12.2 percent
Enrollment: 1,650
4. Wellesley College
Location: Wellesley, Mass.
Acceptance rate: 30.4 percent
Enrollment: 2,323
8. Carleton College
Location: Northfield, Minn.
Acceptance rate: 22.8 percent
Enrollment: 2,057
9. Claremont McKenna College
Location: Claremont, Calif.
Acceptance rate: 10.8 percent
Enrollment: 1,301
9. Davidson College
Location: Davidson, N.C.
Acceptance rate: 21.7 percent
Enrollment: 1,770
9. United States Naval Academy
Location: Annapolis, Md.
Acceptance rate: 7.9 percent
Enrollment: 4,511
