Boston College, located just outside downtown Boston, was founded by the Society of Jesus and has maintained its Roman Catholic Jesuit religious affiliation. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies it as a university with high research activity. BC has nine schools, which include such highly ranked graduate programs as the Lynch School of Education, Boston College Law School and Carroll School of Management. The school competes in nearly 30 NCAA Division I varsity sports in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the BC Eagles have one of the highest graduation rates for student athletes in the country. Students can join more than 200 clubs and organizations, but there is no Greek system on campus. Freshmen are not required to live on campus, but the majority choose to do so. More than 1,000 students participate in study abroad each year.

Georgia Tech, located in the heart of Atlanta, offers a wide range of student activities. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, an NCAA Division I team, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference and have a fierce rivalry with the University of Georgia. Since 1961, the football team has been led onto the field at home games by the Ramblin' Wreck, a restored 1930 Model A Ford Sport Coupe. Georgia Tech has a small but vibrant Greek community. Freshmen are offered housing, but aren't required to live on campus. In addition to its campuses in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia Tech has campuses in France, Ireland, Costa Rica, Singapore and China.Georgia Tech has six colleges. Its highly ranked graduate schools include the College of Engineeringand Scheller College of Business. Georgia Tech is very active in research. The Georgia Tech Research Institute conducts government and industry research, and the school's efforts are key to the Georgia Research Alliance, which plays a role in the state's economic development strategy. Famous alumni include Mike Duke, former president and CEO of Walmart; Bobby Jones, founder of The Masters golf tournament; and former professional baseball player Nomar Garciaparra. John Heisman was Georgia Techs first full-time football coach, and the Heisman Memorial Trophy was named in his honor. The school's newspaper for faculty and staff, The Whistle, is named for the steam whistle in the Tech Tower that blows in intervals with the campus class schedule, and each time the Yellow Jackets score a touchdown.