Top Picks: Universities | Public Universities | Liberal Arts Colleges | Engineering | Business | Women's | Most Selective | Hidden Gems
Every week I spotlight a great school that might be off the radar of college applicants. Many of these colleges were recommended by readers via email or in the College Admission Forum. Others I chose based on my own research or experiences. In the list below, you'll find links to each college's profile, blog spotlight, and discussion forum. Also be sure to check out the 2008 spotlights.
If you'd like to recommend a college for a future spotlight, you can do so here in the forum.
24. Southwestern University
Dustin Coates / Flickr
- Location: Austin, Texas
- What Makes it Special?: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 14; strong school of fine arts; rich history as the oldest college in Texas; 700-acre campus with a biological preserve; good educational value; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa
- Blog Spotlight from July 26, 2009
- Southwestern University profile
- Share your impressions of Southwestern University
23. Birmingham-Southern College
goforchris / Flickr
- Location: Birmingham, Alabama
- What Makes it Special?: 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; top-ranked liberal arts college in Alabama; four-week January term for experiential learning; good grant aid; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa
- Blog Spotlight from July 18, 2009
- Birmingham-Southern College profile
- Share your impressions of Birmingham-Southern College
22. Champlain College
Nightspark / Wikimedia Commons
- Location: Burlington, Vermont
- What Makes it Special?: Beautiful location on Lake Champlain; innovative curriculum that weaves together the liberal arts with preprofessional training; good financial aid
- Blog Spotlight from July 10, 2009
- Champlain College profile
- Share your impressions of the Champlain College
21. University of Puget Sound
The Kevin / Flickr
- Location: Tacoma, Washington
- What Makes it Special?: 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; highly ranked liberal arts college; location has urban benefits with proximity to great outdoor opportunities; good grant aid; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa
- Blog Spotlight from July 4, 2009
- University of Puget Sound profile
- Share your impressions of the University of Puget Sound
20. Binghamton University
unforth / Flickr
- Location: Vestal, New York
- What Makes it Special?: highly ranked public university; Division I athletics; selective admissions; shares resources with the SUNY network; high graduation rate for a public university; strong international focus; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa
- Blog Spotlight from June 26, 2009
- Binghamton University profile
- Share your impressions of Binghamton University
19. Warren Wilson College
brightlifephotographydotcom / Flickr
- Location: Asheville, North Carolina
- What Makes it Special?: beautiful location in the Blue Ridge Mountains; excellent educational value; strong environmental efforts; interesting curriculum with requirements in community service and the campus work program
- Blog Spotlight from June 19, 2009
- Warren Wilson College profile
- Share your impressions of Warren Wilson College
18. University of California at Merced
r_neches / Flickr
- Location: Merced, California
- What Makes it Special?: first new research university of the 21st century; strengths in science and engineering; up-and-coming school in the University of California system; excellent green efforts
- Blog Spotlight from June 12, 2009
- UC Merced profile
- Share your impressions of UC Merced
17. University of Dallas
Wissembourg / Wikimedia Commons
- Location: Dallas, Texas
- What Makes it Special?: 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio; excellent study abroad program in Rome; highly ranked Catholic university; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; good grant aid
- Blog Spotlight from May 30, 2009
- University of Dallas profile
- Share your impressions of the University of Dallas
16. Ramapo College of New Jersey
Copyright Ramapo College
- Location: Mahwah, New Jersey
- What Makes it Special?: public liberal arts college; good value; young college with many modern facilities; popular programs in Business Administration, Communication Studies, Nursing and Psychology
- Blog Spotlight from May 23, 2009
- Ramapo College profile
- Share your impressions of Ramapo College
15. Whitman College
chuck.taylor / Flickr
- Location: Walla Walla, Washington
- What Makes it Special?: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; highly ranked liberal arts college; collaborations with top universities such as Duke, Columbia, and Washington University; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa
- Blog Spotlight from May 10, 2009
- Whitman College profile
- Share your impressions of Whitman College
