<p>We are starting to look for colleges for my daughter, who is a sophomore.
She is in 99th percentile for PSAT and Plan tests, takes challenging courses, and gets good grades. She likes class discussion,enjoys art history, and has an interest in anthropology and physics. She is liberal, and somewhat a free spirit. More than anything, she loves climbing and the oudoors. We are open to all areas of the country. Any ideas</p>
<p>researcher, I think your daughter will find many colleges that are located in rural areas which offer access to outdoorsy activities. My son recently graduated from Williams where he was very active in all kinds of hiking, trekking, camping events. He doesn't climb, but it's also very popular on campus. </p>
<p>Williams has one of the best art history departments in the country and there are three excellent museums on or near campus. Physics is also topnotch.</p>
<p>Other academically rigorous Northeast colleges with access to some fine scenery are Amherst, Smith, Skidmore, Hamilton, Colgate, Bowdoin, Middlebury . (I'm sure there are others that just don't come to mind right now.)</p>
<p>Good luck and let us know how she does.</p>
<p>Reed, maybe? It's probably one of the best LACs for physics, and only a short drive from the Cascades.</p>
<p>Berkeley...plenty of hills for hiking, etc.</p>
<p>CU Boulder!</p>
<p>And maybe University of Arizona?</p>
<p>These schools are solid institutions in the fields she's looking at, and both will offer nice climates for outdoor activity year-round.</p>
<p>Whitman College, Lewis & Clark College (as a safety)</p>
<p>My parents live in Boulder and I can't imagine anywhere else being a better fit.</p>
<p>Colorado College in Colorado Springs. </p>
<p>Very outdoors oriented student body. Has a climbing wall on campus (I recall). School owns remote cabins the students can use. Has freshman First Year Experience and some activities included very advanced high altitude back packing and brush clearing.</p>
<p>Strong LAC (top 25) with approx. 525+ per class. Has the block system where the student takes one subject for 3-1/2 weeks at a time. Since there is only one subject, the student has a class from 9-12 noon M-F in each class. </p>
<p>The 4-1/2 day block breaks every 3-1/2 weeks allow for hiking, camping, regional traveling and skiing. Pikes Peak is literally out the window and across the road.</p>
<p>Colorado Springs is not a particularly liberal town but the campus provides a liberal environment. Lots of different EC's.</p>
<p>Thank you for the suggestions. We plan to start visiting schools this summer</p>
<p>check out Appalachian State University (NC)</p>
<p>Colorado College is a great option. Also, schools in upstate New York or northern Massachusetts, as well as Vermont and Maine are good options (eg. Colgate, Williams, Middlebury, Colby...)</p>
<p>In the Northeast, you might also consider Dartmouth and (for a relative "safety") the University of Vermont.</p>
<p>That's a good point. Dartmouth has a ski team and is in a perfect spot for outdoors activities.</p>
<p>Dartmouth for sure. Its an adventurers college. Lots of amazing outdoors, terrific study abroad, liberal, active social scene, lots of grants particularly for anthro.</p>
<p>University of Denver</p>
<p>Check out their Alpine Club. the school is also very generous with merit money.</p>
<p>Reinforcing Colorado College and throwing most schools in Oregon and California into the mix I think any school that is within two hours of the Sierra Nevada range or the Rockies will have outdoorsy opportunities. Another positive for CA and OR schools is that many of them are within hours or minutes from BOTH the beach and the mountains. </p>
<p>When you start looking at websites type "Outdoor" into the search box and you will likely find out if an outdoor club exists and how active it is. Many that we have searched give a detailed schedule of the year's activities. Good Luck and enjoy the search!</p>
<p>D is having too good a time at CU Boulder. Majoring in physics, 3 Nobel prize winners in the dept, lots of options, undergrad research. Biophysics faculty has 2 women who are Howard Hughes Med Institute faculty. </p>
<p>A fun read:
Outside Magazine September 2003 </p>
<p>Outside University: The Top 40
Today's topic: We rank the Top 40 schools where you can hit the books AND the backcountry. Your assignment: Rappel off that ivory tower and take our cram course on America's most adrenaline-friendly colleges. You'll come for your B.A. (Bachelor of Adventure) and want to stay for life.</p>
<p>The</a> Best Colleges For Outdoor Recreation | Outside Online</p>