The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks as one of the top public universities in the United States, and its Kenan-Flagler Business School ranks as one of the top business programs for undergraduates. The UNC Chapel Hill campus has the facilities and aesthetics to measure up to the school's reputation. To see some of the sights, check out this UNC Chapel Hill photo tour.

More College Photo Tours

• Alfred University
• Cornell University
• Harvard University
• Santa Clara University
• Wellesley College

This week's college spotlight takes us to the Baltimore area where we find UMBC, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. UMBC defines itself as an honors college -- it is a mid-sized university that combines some of the best features of large research universities with the more intimate teaching-centered approach of liberal arts colleges. Its successes in undergraduate education earned it the #1 position in the U.S. News & World Report ranking of "up-and-coming national universities."

UMBC's admissions standards make it more accessible than some other top-ranked universities, but high-achieving students will find lots of challenges and opportunities through UMBC's Honors College, Scholars Program and Living Learning Communities. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, UMBC was awarded a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.

The university's location also opens many opportunities for students -- Baltimore's Inner Harbor is just 15 minutes away, and Washington D.C. is easily accessible. Nearby colleges include Johns Hopkins University, Loyola College in Maryland and Goucher College.

UMBC is a public university, and it represents an excellent educational value for both in-state and out-of-state students. Maryland doesn't penalize out-of-state students on tuition as much as California and many other states.

In athletics, the UMBC Retrievers compete in the NCAA Division I America East Conference.

If you'd like to learn more about the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the school's admissions standards, visit the UMBC Admissions Profile and the university's official website. If you have visited or attended UMBC, please share your impressions below.

Every week I spotlight a great college that might be off the radar of college applicants. If there's a college you'd like to see featured here, please post your recommendation in the College Admissions Forum.

Harvard University is the most selective member of the Ivy League, and it is often considered the most prestigious university in the world. It also has an extremely attractive main campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Explore some of the sights in this Harvard photo tour.

More College Photo Tours

• Alfred University
• Cornell University
• Ithaca College
• Santa Clara University
• Wellesley College

There's so much hype and hysteria surrounding college admissions that it's always refreshing to get some practical, level-headed advice. Martha Allman, Director of Admissions at Wake Forest University, provides just that. Allman's Top Ten List covers everything from extracurricular activities to letters of recommendation to supplemental materials. Her advice is applicable if you are applying to any selective college, and it shows that the admissions process is fairly simple at heart: schools are looking for academically qualified students who will enrich the campus community in some way.

Wake Forest also deserves some kudos for moving to test-optional admissions back in 2008. They are one of the most selective universities to reduce applicant stress levels by making the SAT and ACT an optional part of the application process.