We recently ranked the 50 smartest colleges in America based on average standardized test scores.
Jonathan Wai, a Duke University Talent Identification Program research scientist, created the ranking exclusively for Business Insider using the schools' average SAT and ACT scores. (ACT scores were converted to the SAT scale for the purposes of this analysis).
While these tests are often criticized, research shows that both the SAT and ACT are good measures of general cognitive ability, since they rely on a person's ability to reason. Therefore, these scores give a reasonable snapshot of a school’s overall smarts.
We've further broken that list down to highlight the 10 smartest colleges and universities in the Northeast. Take a look below to see which schools made the cut.
10. Johns Hopkins University — Average SAT: 1439
9. Dartmouth College — Average SAT: 1444
8. University of Pennsylvania — Average SAT: 1452
7. Williams College — Average SAT: 1452
6. Columbia University — Average SAT: 1470
5. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering — Average SAT: 1475
4. Princeton University — Average SAT: 1491
3. Yale University — Average SAT: 1493
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Average SAT: 1500
1. Harvard University — Average SAT: 1501
