There was such an outpouring of replies to last Fall’s thread (which, unfortunately, I’m not allowed to bump) that I thought I’d follow it up with a somewhat later poll where Wesleyan also appears prominently. There doesn’t appear to be a numerical ranking - and maybe that’s a good thing - but here it is:
Here’s a link to last year’s thread:
How do these get chosen. I think Santa Clara University is gorgeous…with the fabulous buildings and gorgeous well manicured gardens.
At this point, IMHO, it’s all about whatever chatbot algorithm the magazine uses.
My son writes articles for an online publication. He uses a chatbot for initial research, and he said it’s funny sometimes what it comes up with. Some of the company’s other writers rely too heavily on the chatbot and he said it’s obvious.
I would say that there are 75-100 colleges which are extremely pretty, and the AI simply goes back and sees the “top 50 prettiest colleges” rankings over the past few decades.
Still, this list is a LOT better than the Niche rankings…
I disagree. This list is objectively accurate.
Of the 56, only seven, SEVEN, campuses were the subjects of a series of etchings by master etchist Louis Orr almost 100 years ago: Stanford, Princeton, Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Yale and Wesleyan. Can’t argue with Orr, who by that time could call his own shot. There you have it. Proof.
There are, however, two omissions: University of Washington and Brown. I’m sure it was as an oversight.
In no world is West Point pretty. It’s meant to look forbidding, imposing, and ominous, all of which it nails. Even my good friend, an Army grad who visits several times a year, will tell you it was never intended to be beautiful.
College of the Desert is not pretty. It’s got a few palm trees on campus. Otherwise, it’s like any other utilitarian building in Palm Springs built in the 1950’s. Lol.
Any list that doesn’t include Lehigh University and Bates College is not a real list. We can argue about this again when the next list comes out. 
I also don’t think the University of Missouri is pretty either. To make the list, the whole campus should be pretty, not just one quadrangle, or one area.
Maybe this is a ChatGPT article. Ha 
Setting the aesthetics of the campuses aside, I noticed several inaccuracies in the text.
I couldn’t help but notice that there was a human error pertaining to the identification of these two buildings:
The first is an artist’s rendition of Harriman Hall and its recent addition which together will compose the social science departments’ (History, Government, Economics) Public Affairs Center when it reopens in the Fall. The magazine article mentions the building in the bottom photograph, Shanklin Lab, as overlooking the main quadrangle. I think it meant Harriman, not Shanklin. Both designed by McKim, Mead and White and easily confused with each other.
it’s a silly list but some obervations:
UT Austin is NOT pretty at all.
Neither is Georgetown except for that one big building in all the photos.
Michigan doesn’t really belong on the list either excep the law school quad.
I actually agree with all three of your examples. I wouldn’t say UT is ugly. It’s as I expected it to be and it fits with Texas somehow. Georgetown and Michigan were disappointments though. I expected both to be stunning and they’re not. I guess there’s a reason why you see that same main building in every GT picture … I had the same impression. It’s almost the only cool building. I also found Cal to be a little underwhelming, but there is a some cool stuff there.
I don’t know that I’ve been to a single campus that is pretty throughout though. There’s always something ugly to find.
What I am concluding about your response is that these lists are objectively correct or incorrect, depending on one’s point of view. 
Was skimming this thread. There must be something wrong with me because I think parts of the West Point campus (and some of the views from the roofs of campus buildings) are just gorgeous (or were when I visited the campus a few times in the late 80s/early 90s). The surrounding land is gorgeous too. Military wasn’t for me, but that campus made me consider it.
I think it’s more difficult to have continuity of aesthetics with larger schools. For example, I think the north (aka old) campus at UGA is charming. I love it! But once one gets south of the stadium it’s hit or miss with a few older classic buildings mixed in with 60s/70s architecture.
I personally am drawn to smaller campuses with continuity of architecture. My D thought Rhodes, which has that continuity, was too much of the same in a small footprint. To each their own!
I do love visiting my D’s college… I think it’s a wonderful mix of what I like.
The land is pretty, but so is a hill covered with trees. Nope, campus not pretty, IMO.
De gustibus non est disputandum 
(Apologies if wrong, haven’t taken Latin since about the time I last visited West Point)
Some places are just better appreciated from a distance.
Wesleyan Homecoming this weekend. Absolutely gorgeous. I know New England campuses were all in their full glory on Saturday, but I felt there was something special in Middletown.
This list is way off. Brandeis and Hampshire should be 1 and 2.
