Colleges by Mountains and/or Lakes?

College Search & Selection
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<p>This may sound very weird, but one of my number one factors in applying to colleges is the appearance of the campus. I like the convenience of a town, but I would really love to study somewhere that is beautiful. I love mountains (I come from Wisconsin where there are none) and I love lakes (we have many). Any suggestions? I'm pretty smart, so I don't want to go to a super unchallenging school. Also, I want there to be probably more than 5000 people. Suggestions? Thanks :)</p>

2

<p>Here are a couple:</p>

<p>Dartmouth [Dartmouth</a> Skiway](<a href=“http://www.dartmouth.edu/~skiway/]Dartmouth”>Dartmouth Skiway)</p>

<p>Northwestern [Lake</a> Michigan Shoreline at Northwestern University 8x10 size - nikon-paul’s Photos | SmugMug](<a href=“http://nikon-paul.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Northwestern-University/8244405_qYCZs/1/539119399_MFRDN#539119399_MFRDN]Lake”>http://nikon-paul.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Northwestern-University/8244405_qYCZs/1/539119399_MFRDN#539119399_MFRDN)</p>

<p>Also: U. Wisc. (you know already), Va Tech; In Canada: Univ. of British Columbia, McGill Univ.</p>

3

<p>uvm</p>

<p>[University</a> of Vermont | Photos | Best College | US News](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-vermont-3696/photos]University”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-vermont-3696/photos)</p>

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<p>I find Penn state’s mountainous backdrop very picturesque.</p>

5

<p>Notre Dame has two lakes, after which it is named (University of Notre Dame du Lac –> University of Our Lady of the Lake). They are quite nice:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.nd.edu/~magic05/DSCF5103.JPG[/url]”>http://www.nd.edu/~magic05/DSCF5103.JPG&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://www.nd.edu/~wcawley/corson/lake6.jpg[/url]”>http://www.nd.edu/~wcawley/corson/lake6.jpg&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://victoth.com/photos/12.jpg[/url]”>http://victoth.com/photos/12.jpg&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/38/3852/IFOYF00Z/posters/lake-view-notre-dame-indiana.jpg[/url]”>http://cache2.allpostersimages.com/p/LRG/38/3852/IFOYF00Z/posters/lake-view-notre-dame-indiana.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Though they are very prominent on campus, and the older yellow buildings are made of brick from the lakes, there are only two, and no mountains, so it might not be your thing.</p>

6

<p>Sewanee: University of the South and Furman</p>

7

<p>Cornell has very dramatic natural environment and very good academics.</p>

<p>Williams is located in a pristine and profoundly beautiful mountain valley. Great academics but maybe smaller than what you’re looking for.</p>

<p>Also small but in very pretty mountain-ish settings: Hamilton and Skidmore. Amherst is in a small town, but accessible to nature and seems bigger because of the consortium. You could also look at schools in Vermont and Maine, like Middlebury and Colby. I haven’t been there so I can’t compare.</p>

8

<p>Consider the University of Washington. Right on Lake Washington in Seattle, and the central axis of the campus is oriented toward the view of Mt. Rainier! Definitely more than 5000 students, too! (many multiples of 5K, in fact) The Honors College might be a good fit for you.</p>

9

<p>I was totally on the same page as you. I don’t know where you’re from, but personally, as New Yorker myself sick of the flat landscape and attitude yearning for scenic, slower paced charm, I looked no further than the many fantastic universities upstate New York has to offer. The Catskills are breathtaking and there are dozens of colleges from which to choose. Now, I know you said you consider yourself, you need to decide if prestige or price are a factor, because there’s a huge range of great educational institutes to which you can apply. If you want the appeal of an Ivy League, Cornell is GORGES, or so they say to emphasize both the beauty of campus set atop a paradise and to reinforce the fact that it’s so hard and competitive that high school scholars are driven to jump off of those very gorges. Equal in prestige and acceptance rate (within New York and to all grad schools) is the small liberal arts colleges like Colgate, Hamilton and Vassar, but they may not be big enough for you liking. All listed have nice towns, particularly Hamilton’s endearing village of Clinton. Less competition for entry but excellent educations are offered at SUNY schools Binghampton and Geneseo, which are truly the best academics for the best price. Binghampton has a nice landscape but the campus (to me, at least) is unbearably ugly. It’s big, wheras Geneseo hovers above the 5000 minimum you listed but has a beautiful campus with literally INCREDIBLE views of the surrounding mountains and farmland, an adorable, amiable college town and a strong sense of community and pride on campus, complete with quirky traditions and an accomodating, attentive staff. Lower in prestige and competition but with strong programs and great alumni connections is private school Ithaca College set in the same scenic region as Cornell. There are MANY more but I can’t testify to any more, and I think I got most of the better-ranked and respected ones in upstate New York.
Visit upstate New York if you’re looking for a great college experience, socially and academically, enriched by sweeping scenery! (wow i sound like an admissions person haha!)</p>

10

<p>I think you would like Middlebury College</p>

11

<p>Agree with moltian about Univ of Washington in Seattle. The campus is just stunning.</p>

12

<p>In the Mountains: Appalachian State University in Western North Carolina</p>

<p>Near the mountains: University of Tennessee Knoxville; Rocky Top is their band’s main song at the football games. Listen to Rocky Top and you’ll definitely understand what I’m talking about; about a place near Gatlinburg, about an hour or so from Knoxville.</p>

13

<p>Colorado College is a challenging school with a spectacular Rocky Mountain setting.
[Colorado</a> College | Pikes Peak Region](<a href=“http://www.coloradocollege.edu/resources/ThePikesPeakRegion.asp]Colorado”>http://www.coloradocollege.edu/resources/ThePikesPeakRegion.asp)
It’s small, but in a much larger town than almost any other liberal arts college.</p>

14

<p>Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech</p>

<p>Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using CC App</p>

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<p>Check out UVA on the blue ridge mountains</p>

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<p>Middlebury sounds ideal except for the size.</p>

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<p>Hey, I’m from Idaho, so I know exactly what you’re talking about.</p>

<p>The clear choice is Colorado School of Mines. It’s in Golden, Colorado and is surrounded by mountains. It’s a small school (about 4,000) and is about 20 min drive from Denver. I know that goes against the size you were thinking, but it’s a really good academic school. Their Petroleum and Chemical engineers make over 80,000 straight out of college (they have connections with Exxon and Connco Phillips).</p>

<p>Just to sound unbiased, I don’t actually go to Mines (I’m at Virginia Tech), but I have visited Golden, Colorado and Mines quite a few times.</p>

<p>Also, to the people who are saying UW, there aren’t any real mountains in Seattle!</p>

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<p>Oh, I also just noticed someone above mentioned VaTech. I go to VT, so think about this:</p>

<p>VaTech is very rural, but it does not have any real mountains surrounding the campus- it’s just a bunch of foothills. All the outdoorsy stuff is about a ten minute drive away, however.</p>

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<p>University of Colorado at Boulder</p>

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<p>Disagree with mcroson</p>

<p>Seattle (U Dub) has PLENTY of mountains in view and it is a short drive to get to them.</p>

<p>OP – Do you want the VIEW of the mountains or do you want to be ON a mountain? When you are in/on the mountains you can roll out of your dorm and hike/climb (Sewanee). If you just want a view and the ability to hike a few times a semester, then University of Washington should remain in the mix.</p>