<p>:D</p>
<p>Chapel Hill, NC in the south east for sure </p>
<p>Ann Arbor. :)</p>
<p>There are really so many. I’d add Madison, WI, Lawrence, KS, Boulder, CO, Iowa City and Ames, IA, Berkeley, CA, Fayetteville, AR, Athens, GA…</p>
<p>Another vote for Madison… but I’m biased. Haha </p>
<p>Nashville is decent: there’s Vanderbilt and Belmont within a mile of each other and MTSU is half an hour away. Great music scene.</p>
<p>Austin, Texas.</p>
<p>Ithaca, NY. Except for the weather! </p>
<p>From what I have seen, Gainesville, Cambridge, and College Station.</p>
<p>First question … when you say college town do you mean a city in which the college resides (leads to answers like Boston, Cambridge, and New York)? Or do you mean a small city/town in which the college is big part of the fabric of the city/town (leads to answers like Boulder, Ithaca, etc).</p>
<p>Williamsburg… maybe Boston</p>
<p>It’s hard to classify big cities like Boston or LA as “college towns” since there is so much more going on. In my opinion, a college town is literally a community centered around the local school. </p>
<p>Keeping that in mind, I’ve heard great things about Athens GA, Gainesville, and Berkeley.</p>
<p>I’ve never been there, but I nominate Tuscaloosa. </p>
<p>Define best. In my mind a college town must have a few qualifications to be called such.</p>
<p>1) The college is what you think of when you mention the town…Ann Arbor, College Station, Chapel Hill, etc.
2) The college is well-known enough that a reasonable person would at least be aware. (this would include all state flagships and many other large public or private colleges)
3) There is a cooperative relationship between the college and the citizens and government of the town. (in other words, the people appreciate the college rather than merely tolerate the college)</p>
<p>Madison and Austin are out because they are better known as the capitals of their states. </p>
<p>Once you establish the basic requirements, you need to figure out what you mean about best. Does it come down to sports? Can a school with an awesome theatre program (Southern Utah comes to mind) become a ‘best’ college town? Are you talking pound for pound here or only big schools need apply? Nice premise, set some parameters.</p>
<p>CHARLOTTESVILLE</p>
<p>I’m only a rising senior in high school, but I quite liked Pomona, CA when I visited.</p>
<p>I’ve lived in Boston for over 30 years. </p>
<ol>
<li>Boston is indeed a town. You can walk everywhere. </li>
<li>The presence of so many college students in Boston/Cambridge has a disproportionate effect on the overall vibe of the city. </li>
</ol>
<p>IMHO, Boston/Cambridge is the only correct answer to question of what’s the BEST college town :-).</p>
<p>Ann Arbor, Ames, Champaign, Ithaca, Bloomington, Athens, Amherst. That’s what comes to mind for me.</p>
<p>Boston doesn’t really seem to fit the quintessential “college town” profile.</p>
<p>Austin, Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill, Athens and Charleston. </p>
<p>Amherst, Massachusetts. I’ve yet to visit, but I will this summer! </p>