The University of Texas by Dane Smith
The University of Texas, with its flagship campus in Austin, is one of the original eight �Public Ivys,� according to Richard Moll. Moll coined the phrase in his 1985 book, Public Ivys: A Guide to America�s Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities. The phrase has since come to include many more universities who offer an Ivy League education at a public university price.

UT earned such a distinction by providing a quality education for undergraduates since it opened its doors in 1883. As far back as 1839, the government of Texas set aside 40 acres of real estate in Austin for the purpose of starting a public university. They named the area College Hill. Construction did not begin until 1881, when Austin was officially made the main campus for the new university. By this time, Texas A&M had already beaten it to being the first university in Texas. Unfortunately, one of the most memorable points in the history of ... Read more »