<p>Lots of really good schools listed by others, and of course it is just my opinion re the ten. </p>
<p>I tried to look at the following criteria: (1) is a senior thesis required for most students (why Brown topped some of the schools suggested by others despite having no distribution requirements and why Princeton was #1 with its two theses requirement), (2) emphasis on writing (Reed, Swarthmore, Yale, Princeton), (3) core curriculum (Reed, Chicago, Columbia, Wash U), (4) low student teacher ratios (helped UVA [for a public] and LACs, especially Williams with Oxford style classes), (5) accessible faculty (UVA, Wash U, and LACs), and (6) very smart students who are willing and able to take advantage of the teaching (all of them). </p>
<p>Many of the schools others listed could very easily be here too. Indeed, right after I pushed send I thought of Rice (the Princeton of the South). Also, great cases could be made for Macalester, Carleton, Haverford, Cornell, Harvey Mudd, William & Mary, MIT, Cal Tech, Emory, Hopkins, Georgetown, Grinnell, Pomona, Oberlin, Wesleyan, and Davidson, among others.</p>
<p>The real point I was trying to make is that “best” means different things to different people (showing the folly of rankings) and why should Harvard always top the “best” lists largely based on reputation and dollars rather than the actual undergrad product.</p>