美国的前五名大学一般比较接受的观点是: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT和Stanford。 这五所大学每年从美国顶尖的私立高中（包括寄宿和非寄宿）和公立高中中录取优秀学生。根据2008年的统计，在美国进入这五所大学最多的高中是：

Harvard

1.      Roxbury Latin School, MA

2.      Winsor School, MA

3.      Brearley School, NY

4.      Collegiate School, NY

5.      Chapin School, NY

MIT

1.      Winsor School, MA

2.      Boston University Academy, MA

3.      Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, VA

4.      Phillips Academy Andover, MA

5.      Roxbury Latin School, MA

 Yale

1.      Brearley School, NY

2.      Hopkins School, CT

3.      Ethical Culture Fieldston School, NY

4.      St. Albans School, DC

5.      Collegiate School, NY

Stanford

1.      College Preparatory School, CA

2.      Harvard-Westlake School, CA

3.      Hockaday School, TX

4.      Bishop’s school, CA

5.      National Cathedral School, DC

Princeton

1.      Saint Ann’s School, NY

2.      Bishop’s School, CA

3.      Collegiate School, NY

4.      Brearley School, NY

5.      Milton Academy, MA

从这个统计中看出，进入这五所大学最多的是私立的非寄宿学校，其次是私立的寄宿高中，再其次是公立高中。