Colleges Near Chicago

Chicago pairs two of the country's most selective research universities -- the University of Chicago (4% admit) and Northwestern (8%, in Evanston) -- with a genuinely large cluster of Catholic and other faith-affiliated private schools spread across the city and western suburbs: Loyola, DePaul, Saint Xavier, Dominican, Benedictine, Wheaton, and more. Add UIC and Northern Illinois University for large public options, and Chicago covers one of the widest ranges of admit rate and institutional mission of any metro on this list.