Every country has multiple universities, especially the United States, which counts with 4,726 post-secondary institutions. But still, every time someone asks about U.S universities, people tend to answer giving the same names: the University of California, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Texas. These universities and many others are constantly named because of their popularity. They are the most prominent and important universities of their specific states, the Flagship University.
What is a Flagship University?
A flagship university tends to be the most known university in its state. It is generally the first public university ever founded and the one that receives the most support from the state government. It’s an institution people tend to search for the most, one with a good doctoral program profile. The majority of flagship universities count with and NCAA Division I athletics and are members of the Association of American Universities. Both groups are very important in the United States, being a part of them is a sign of leadership and prestige.
The NCAA is the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It is organized in three divisions, I, II, and III, and helps student-athletes who compete every year in college sports. Students from schools who are part of the first and second division are given scholarships in order to help them pay for their education. Being a member of this association is a cause of respect because only those universities with extremely good athletes get into Division I, only outstanding students are given scholarships, and every college’s and university’s goal is to create outstanding students.
On the other hand, the Association of American Universities is devoted to maintaining a good education system and only accepts those universities who are leaders in academic research. Sixty-two universities have the honor to say they are part of this association, sixty of which are in the United States and two of which are in Canada. In order to be a part of the AAU, universities must be invited and have three-fourths of affirmative votes.
Flagship Universities in the US
By having these associations in their resumes, universities escalate the prestige ladder until they are localized at the very top. Counting with an amazing student, respected professors and facilities that are improved frequently, flagship universities represent a bright future for anyone who attends them. These are all of the flagship universities of the United States:
- University of Alabama
- University of Alaska Fairbanks
- University of Arizona
- University of Arkansas
- University at Buffalo
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Connecticut
- University of Delaware
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Hawaii at Manoa
- University of Idaho
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Indiana University Bloomington
- University of Iowa
- University of Kansas
- University of Kentucky
- Louisiana State University
- University of Maine
- University of Maryland, College Park
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota
- University of Mississippi
- University of Missouri
- University of Montana
- University of Nebraska Lincoln
- University of Nevada, Reno
- University of New Hampshire
- University of New Mexico
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of North Dakota
- Ohio State University
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Oregon
- Pennsylvania State University
- University of Rhode Island
- Rutgers University
- University of South Carolina
- University of South Dakota
- University of Tennessee
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Utah
- University of Vermont
- University of Virginia
- University of Washington
- West Virginia University
- University of Wisconsin–Madison
- University of Wyoming
Are you interested in any of these universities? Check out our college match tool to see your admission odds for these or other colleges around the country!
