So it is the end of December, and to say I have visited numerous colleges over the past four months is an understatement; the number is 101 to be exact. Most of these visits were official tours, while some were self-guided, which consisted of me walking around and following a guide of some sort to learn about the school.
In light of all of this, I thought it would be fun to make a top 5 list (and some cases more) of multiple categories, because who doesn’t like “best of” lists, right? So, below you will find multiple college categories and what I have considered to be my favorite 5 colleges in each. The eligible schools are only those 101 I have visited. You can see the list here. Now time for an important clarification: these lists are in no way stating that these are “the best” schools to consider. Rather, there was something about the experience or environment at each campus that I felt I would personally be drawn too if I were to magically go back in time as a high school student and go college shopping. So with that said, enjoy my Top 5 Lists!
Favorite Liberal Arts Colleges/Universities
My favorite liberal arts institutions, where the environment is small and everybody knows your name.
Union College
Swarthmore College
Amherst College
Colgate University
Colby College
Favorite Midsized Colleges/Universities
My favorite midsized colleges and universities, between 4,000 and 10,000 undergraduate students on campus.
University of Rochester
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Dayton
Georgetown University
University of Richmond
Favorite Large Universities
My favorite large universities, typically research institutions with more than 10,000 undergraduate students.
Syracuse University
University of Pittsburgh
Northeastern University
James Madison University
University of Georgia
Top Three Favorite STEM Schools
I had the chance to visit some STEM schools, which specialize in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These stood out to me!
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
Case Western Reserve
Prettiest Campuses
These campuses were breathtaking! Some struck me because of the architecture, others the geography and landscaping, and others were beautiful in both categories!
College of the Holy Cross
United States Military Academy
Washington and Lee University
Duke University
Amherst College
Friendliest Campuses
I observe how students interact when I visit campuses. These stood out to me as the friendliest campuses based on my brief visits.
John Carroll University
University of Dayton
Grove City College
Calvin University
Tulane University
Most Quirky (in a good way)
Nerdy, geeky, eccentric are a few words to describe the students on these campuses. And in most cases, they went out of their way to describe themselves as such!
Tufts University
Carnegie Mellon University
Wesleyan University
Vassar College
Allegheny College
Best Visit Experience
These colleges really impressed me with how the presented their campuses. Some rolled out the red carpet for me and the other guests, others included unique engaging items to their program, and others simply had very well trained tour guides!
Colgate University
Carnegie Mellon University
James Madison University
High Point University
University of Georgia
Top Quality Colleges that Aren’t Highly Selective
These colleges and universities I had the chance to visit have proven to be excellent at what they do, but have still remained more accessible (admissions selectivity) for the time being.
Syracuse University
Drexel University
Miami University
Xavier University
Loyola University Maryland
University of Rochester
American University
University of Dayton
DePauw University
Chad’s Overall Favorites
If I were to get in that time machine and apply to college all over again, considering everything I have learned and value in this industry, these are the colleges I would be the most interested in.
Colby College
Amherst College
Drexel University
Carnegie Mellon University
Calvin University
Syracuse University
Georgetown University
Union College
Colgate University
Washington and Lee University