The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (the U of M or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota.

William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a private research university in Houston, Texas.

Indiana University—Bloomington is a public institution that was founded in 1820.

The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York.

The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873