"This review of colleges and universities is yet another illustration of our attractiveness to talented students," Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton said. "We must sustain our effort to be a student-focused university, with the strongest possible faculty to engage our students in the best research and educational programs."

The ranking was derived from three variables reported by each institution: admission rate, SAT scores and rank in high-school class. This is the first time The Atlantic has published the study.

The November issue also carries articles on existing rankings, such as the U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Washington University is the only institution in the Midwest to be ranked in the top 25. Northwestern University and the University of Notre Dame ranked 26 and 31, respectively, while the University of Chicago ranked 39.