Begun in 1999, the Mountain West Conference is the youngest of the NCAA FBS Division I athletic conferences. Along with their athletic accomplishments, most MWC schools also excel in the classroom (the majority have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa). Admissions criteria vary widely, so be sure to click on the profile link to get data such as average ACT and SAT scores, acceptance rates and financial aid information.
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Brigham Young University
DOliphant / Flickr
Owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young University is the largest religious university and the second largest private university in the United States.
- Location: Provo, Utah
- School type: Private, Latter-Day Saints
- Undergraduate enrollment: 30,873 (2007)
- Team: Chargers
- For admissions and financial data, see the Brigham Young University profile
Colorado State University
ecopolitologist / Flickr
CSU has a stunning location at the base of the Rocky Mountains. High-achieving students should take a look at the university's Honors Program. Colorado State has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
- Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
- School type: Public
- Undergraduate enrollment: 21,671 (2007)
- Team: Rams
- For admissions and financial data, see the Colorado State University profile
San Diego State University
Allen Ferguson / Flickr
Part of the California State University System, San Diego State University is the third largest university in California. The college ranks highly for study abroad, and SDSU students have a choice of 190 study abroad programs. SDSU has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
- Location: San Diego, California
- School type: Public
- Undergraduate enrollment: 29,810 (2007)
- Team: Aztecs
- For admissions and financial data, see the San Diego State University profile
Texas Christian University
adamr.stone / Flickr
Texas Christian is strong academically -- the university has a 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio, and the student-teacher interaction is valued highly. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, TCU was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Recent years have seen lots of campus construction, renovations and upgrades.
- Location: Fort Worth, Texas
- School type: Private, Christian Church
- Undergraduate enrollment: 7,382 (2007)
- Team: Horned Frogs
- For admissions and financial data, see the Texas Christian profile
United States Air Force Academy
GretchenKoenig / Flickr
The USAFA is one of the 20 most selective colleges in the country. While all tuition and expenses are covered by the Academy, students do have a five-year active service requirement upon graduation.
- Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
- School type: Military Academy
- Undergraduate enrollment: 4,461 (2007)
- Team: Falcons
- For admissions and financial data, see the United States Air Force Academy profile
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
ericvaughn / Flickr
Stunning desert and mountains surround the 350-acre main campus of UNLV, and the university has been undergoing rapid expansion since it first opened in 1957. UNLV has a diverse student population and an 18 to 1 student / faculty ratio.
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
- School type: Public
- Undergraduate enrollment: 21,975 (2007)
- Team: Rebels
- For admissions and financial data, see the UNLV profile
University of New Mexico
cjc4454 / Flickr
UNM has an attractive pueblo-style campus in the heart of Albuquerque. In academics, Business is the most popular major, but the University of New Mexico's strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned the school a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
- Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
- School type: Public
- Undergraduate enrollment: 19,913 (2007)
- Team: Lobos
- For admissions and financial data, see the University of New Mexico profile
University of Utah
HeffTech / Flickr
The University of Utah draws students from all 50 states and over 100 countries, and the tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students is lower than the majority of public universities. For its strength in the liberal arts and sciences, the University of Utah was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
- Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
- School type: Public
- Undergraduate enrollment: 21,421 (2007)
- Team: Utes
- For admissions and financial data, see the University of Utah profile
University of Wyoming
omnivoreceo / Flickr
The University of Wyoming is the smallest of the state universities in the Mountain West Conference, and it is also the only Bachelor-degree granting university in Wyoming. Tuition is a bargain for both in-state and out-of-state students, and the school's academic strengths earned it a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
- Location: Laramie, Wyoming
- School type: Public
- Undergraduate enrollment: 9,492 (2007)
- Team: Cowboys and Cowgirls
- For admissions and financial data, see the University of Wyoming profile
