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.
34. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY
*Muhammad* / Flickr
- Location: New York City, New York
- What Makes it Special?: excellent perks (free tuition, travel and internship money, special classes, professional mentoring and more); several of the CUNY schools have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences
- Blog Spotlight from November 1, 2009
- Profiles of CUNY's Senior Colleges
- Share your impressions of the Macaulay Honors College at CUNY
33. Babson College
Tostie14 / Flickr
- Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts
- What Makes it Special?: creative and hands-on curriculum which emphasizes leadership and entrepreneurship skills; 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; highly regarded undergraduate business program
- Blog Spotlight from October 25, 2009
- Babson College profile
- Share your impressions of Babson College
32. Occidental College
Geographer / Wikimedia Commons
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- What Makes it Special?: 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 21; highly ranked liberal arts college; excellent location 8 miles from downtown L.A.; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences
- Blog Spotlight from October 16, 2009
- Occidental College profile
- Share your impressions of Occidental College
31. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA)
anslatadams / Flickr
- Location: North Adams, Massachusetts
- What Makes it Special?: public liberal arts college -- excellent price for a small college with a 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio; attractive location in the Berkshire Mountains; emphasis on hands-on learning
- Blog Spotlight from October 11, 2009
- Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts profile
- Share your impressions of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
30. Stephens College
Photo Courtesy of Stephens College
- Location: Columbia, Missouri
- What Makes it Special?: well regarded women's college; excellent value for a private liberal arts college; 13 to 1 student / faculty ratio with an average class size of 13; strong programs in the performing arts and pre-professional fields such as business and health; located in one of the country's best college towns
- Blog Spotlight from October 2, 2009
- Stephens College profile
- Share your impressions of Stephens College
29. Valparaiso University
SD Dirk / Flickr
- Location: Valparaiso, Indiana
- What Makes it Special?: remarkable academic breadth for a school of under 3,000 students; Division I athletics; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences
- Blog Spotlight from September 25, 2009
- Valparaiso University profile
- Share your impressions of Valparaiso University
28. Randolph-Macon College
Photo Credit: Randolph-Macon College
- Location: Ashland, Virginia
- What Makes it Special?: average class size of 15; attractive campus of red brick buildings; strong first-year program in which students take a year-long interdisciplinary seminar; strong financial aid; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences
- Blog Spotlight from September 15, 2009
- Randolph-Macon College profile
- Share your impressions of Randolph-Macon College
27. Alfred University
Photo Credit: Allen Grove
- Location: Alfred, New York
- What Makes it Special?: high ranking for value; small class size; exceptional programs in ceramic art and ceramic engineering; membership in Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; feel of a small private college with the breadth of a comprehensive university
- Blog Spotlight from September 8, 2009
- Alfred University profile
- Photo tour of Alfred University
- Share your impressions of Alfred University
26. The Evergreen State College
lil_azorean / Flickr
- Location: Olympia, Washington
- What Makes it Special?: A+ rating by the Sierra Club for sustainability efforts; affordable public liberal arts college; innovative interdisciplinary curriculum with written evaluations, not grades
- Blog Spotlight from August 28, 2009
- The Evergreen State College profile
- Share your impressions of The Evergreen State College
25. Ithaca College
Photo Credit: Allen Grove
- Location: Ithaca, New York
- What Makes it Special?: close to Ithaca's vibrant cultural scene; well-regarded music and communications programs; strong business and science programs; high four-year graduation rate; stunning views of Lake Cayuga and Cornell University
- Blog Spotlight from August 10, 2009
- Ithaca College profile
- Photo Tour of Ithaca College
- Share your impressions of Ithaca College
