The Ivy League is a group of eight prestigious private colleges and universities in the United States, known for their academic excellence, rich history, and selectivity in admissions. The term "Ivy League" was coined in 1937 when sports writer Caswell Adams was writing about the football game between Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. He referred to them as old “ivy-covered” universities, which led to them being referred to as the “Ivy League” . The eight Ivy League schools are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. These schools are highly competitive, admitting fewer than 1 in 10 applicants, and are known for their strong academic programs, world-class faculty members, and generous financial aid packages. Ivy League schools are often ranked among the top universities worldwide. Although the term "Ivy League" is specific to the US, universities like Oxford and Cambridge in the UK are also highly prestigious.