The city hosts institutions ranging in focus from closing achievement gaps through francophone instruction in vocational and pre-university training, to graduating leaders in engineering and politics. 

Students from rural Quebec mingle with those from all over the globe in this cosmopolitan city, and all are joined in their pursuit of higher learning. 

Montréal has been a seat of education in Canada since 1821, and it has seen leaders in science and engineering, medicine, sports, and business pass through its colleges and universities.  

Topuniversities.com ranked Montréal as the best city for students in 2017, and the city is home to some of the highest- ranked colleges in Canada and the world. 

Several school buildings in Montréal have earned LEED gold level certification for sustainability in construction and design. Other colleges in the city have environmental responsibility as a main focus of their missions and offer certificates in the field. 

With its scenic location alongside Canada’s Saint Lawrence River and atop Mount Royal, Montréal offers its citizens and students beautiful vistas to complement its status as Canada’s most trilingual city, its cosmopolitan culture, and the opportunities for an excellent education at its many colleges and universities. 

Here are our picks for the best colleges in Montreal.

University of Montreal

The University of Montréal, known to many of its students and faculty as UdeM, offers students a wide range of academic opportunities through its partnership with Polytechnique Montréal and through its graduate business school, HEC Montréal.

The university was founded in 1878 and is one of Montréal’s many French-speaking institutions of higher learning. 

Offering 17 fields of study and 350 programs at the graduate level, students attending UdeM can choose any path they like on their educational journey while being confident they are receiving one of the best educations Canada has to offer. 

With its notable alumni including one of Canada’s most influential prime ministers, Pierre Trudeau, students attending UdeM can be proud of the position their alma mater holds in the world. 

Times Higher Education ranks the university number 88 in the world as of 2022, so it is no surprise that 70,000 students attend the University of Montréal. 

McGill University

Boasting a history spanning more than 200 years, McGill University has hosted pioneers in fields ranging from atomic physics to sports and athletics. 

With its 17-year-long ranking by Maclean’s University Rankings as the best medical-doctoral school in Canada and its 2021-2022 student aid contribution of CAD 39.3 million, McGill ensures that the next 200 years will continue to see it among the foremost institutions of higher learning in the world. 

Ernest Rutherford, winner of the 1908 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, is only one of the illustrious faculty members that have called McGill home while pioneering research across a multitude of academic fields. 

Current and former faculty members have made outstanding contributions to business, law, philosophy, and neuroscience. 

Along with academically minded students, athletes should be proud to attend McGill as it had a seminal role in the creation and evolution of football, hockey, and basketball. 

HEC Montreal

The first business school founded in Canada, HEC Montréal is the University of Montréal’s graduate business school. It offers over 100 programs in business from the undergraduate to PhD levels. 

HEC also has the distinction of having the largest bilingual business library in Canada, offering excellent resources for French and English-speaking students from Canada and worldwide. 

This school is one of only two institutions in Canada accredited by three international business associations: AMBA, AACSB International, and EQUIS. Such recognition places HEC Montréal among the most prestigious business schools in the world. 

Also contributing to its international distinction, noted economist Danny Miller is a tenured researcher and the Director of the Center for Research on Organization, Strategy, and Governance at HEC Montréal. Miller also acts as a strategy consultant for major companies such as Goldman Sachs and Citicorp. 

Concordia University

For students concerned about climate change and its impact on the environment and society, Concordia University is an excellent institution to attend. 

Its “Electrifying Society” initiative brings together over 140 researchers from various disciplines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by developing resilient energy and transportation systems and engaging the community and government in green and equitable programs. 

The school is also the focal point of the Quartier Concordia, an urban revitalization program that combines Concordia University’s pledge to sustainability with diverse culture to encourage the exchange of ideas in downtown Montréal. 

Concordia was formed in 1974 by the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University and is the home of the Simone de Beauvoir Institute, Canada’s first women’s studies program. 

Concordia University emphasizes inclusion and sustainability and strives to create a better world for all. 

Polytechnique Montréal

Closely affiliated with the University of Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal attracts some 9,930 students, with 29% coming from outside of Canada. 

The school is a powerhouse of Canadian industry and technology with its CAD 105 million research budget, 56 patents, and 31 industrial research chairs. 

Students interested in nuclear physics will be enticed by the opportunity to work with the school’s SLOWPOKE non-power nuclear reactor. 

Others interested in sustainable building design will jump at the chance to study inside the Lassonde buildings, the first in Canada to obtain gold LEED certification from the U.S Green Building Council. 

Polytechnique Montréal is a member of Canada’s group of research-focused universities, the U15, and contributes to Canada’s efforts to maintain its competitive standing in the world. 

Alongside its acclaimed research efforts, the school has seen notable figures such as Justin Trudeau, Canada’s current prime minister, and astronaut David Saint-Jacques pass through its doors. 

University of Quebec in Montreal

The University of Quebec in Montréal was founded in 1969 in order to close the educational gap between Quebec’s francophone and English-speaking populations. 

It is a proudly French-speaking university that remains committed to its founding principles of educational accessibility. 

UQAM celebrated 50 years of audacity in 2019 and awarded its 400,000^th degree in 2021. 

An amazing 36,960 students attended the school in 2021, with 4,387 coming from 95 other countries. These students chose from 335 programs of study across 41 departments and schools to become one of the 289,366 graduates who call UQAM their alma mater. 

Students wishing to add an international element to their education will have a difficult time finding a better school than the University of Quebec in Montréal. 

Vanier College

As a CEGEP, a French word for “General and Vocational College,” Vanier offers students the opportunity to transition from secondary education to university studies or to prepare for careers in vocational fields. 

The CEGEP program began in Quebec in 1967 in an effort to close the educational gap between the French and English-speaking populations in Quebec. 

Vanier College traces its roots all the way back to 1837 in Le Mans, France, with the foundation of the Sainte-Croix Congregation by Father Basile Moreau.

A small group of sisters from Moreau’s congregation established Maison Saint-Marie in what would later become part of Montréal. Since then, it has evolved into one of the 48 CEGEPS in Quebec.

Over 8,700 students are currently pursuing post-secondary education at Vanier. 

Whether pursuing a career in technical fields after obtaining a vocational education or planning on attending university for more advanced studies, students at Vanier College leave well-prepared for any job. 

École de technologie supérieure (English: Superior Technology School)

The École de technologie supérieure is partnered with the University of Quebec, and it is one of Canada’s leading engineering schools. 

Its mission is to promote technology and provide practical engineering experience to its students. 

25% of engineering students in Quebec attend ETS, and the school is proud to offer more lab sessions and practicums for undergraduate students than any other engineering program in Quebec. 

As part of its mission to promote Canadian industry by developing and transferring technology, ETS arranges more than 3,500 internships across 1,200 different companies yearly. 

The school has been listed as one of the world’s top 20 accelerators by UBI Global and produces approximately 1,000 scientific publications and contributions annually. 

These achievements illustrate how the Superior Technology School has been able to award the second largest number of undergraduate engineering degrees in all of Canada. 

Dawson College

Another of Quebec’s CEGEPs, Dawson College distinguishes itself by offering a range of programs of study from pre-university programs in creative and applied arts, engineering, and business technologies, to career and technical programs in the same. 

Dawson’s diverse population and location in cosmopolitan Montréal enable its students to study with others who bring unique experiences and perspectives to their education. This helps to further the school’s mission to promote sustainability, recognize and support Canada’s First Peoples, and advocate for peace.

In service of its goal to ensure access to quality education for all, the school created the Dawson College Foundation in 2006 to provide awards and scholarships to its students when government funding is not enough. 

Students attending the school can rest easy in its Three Sisters Garden, knowing that their studies at Dawson prepare them well for the future. 

LaSalle College

LaSalle College was established in 1959 by Jean-Paul Morin and is the largest private bilingual college in North America in addition to being the largest fashion school in Canada. 

Students from over 110 countries study in one of LaSalle’s five schools. 

LaSalle’s international reach is further enhanced by its membership in the LCI Education network, which spans the globe with its mission to provide quality education while respecting local cultures. 

With 40% of its student body composed of international students, LaSalle is able to offer a truly global educational experience. 

Not just a fashion school, LaSalle proudly offers its School of VFX and Video Games, which is the first in Montréal to integrate virtual reality technology into its curriculum.  

No matter what creative field a prospective student wishes to enter, LaSalle College is an excellent choice of school to attend.

The post The Best Colleges in Montreal, Canada appeared first on collegegazette.com.

And no big city is bigger than New York City in terms of size and cultural impact. After all, how many times have we followed a character in a movie walking past Rockefeller Center or visiting Madison Square Garden while going to college?

To be sure, New York City offers many amazing colleges. 

But too often, the ones that get all the are in Manhattan, leaving the other four boroughs behind. As a result, students sometimes fail to understand all the great institutions available in New York.

That’s particularly true of Brooklyn, the most populous of the five boroughs. 

In Brooklyn, you’ll find a university and college to meet every need in Brooklyn. There are religious schools from the Catholic and Jewish faiths, a community college, and several four-year universities.

Each of these schools has its own unique character and offerings. And each is perfect for those who want a taste of the big city life without living in one of the glitzier areas. They may not show up on your favorite tv show, but all of these schools will prepare you for future success, no matter what your career plans may be.

Brooklyn College

The “poor man’s Harvard.” While one can certainly take offense at the fairly condescending designation, the nickname indicates Brooklyn College’s quality. 

That becomes clearer when one looks at the school’s famed alumni, ranging from well-known Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to Pulitzer-Prize winner Frank McCourt to screen legend Jimmy Smits.

But unlike Harvard, Brooklyn College is far easier to attend. The school has a very high acceptance rate of 50%, making it one of the most welcoming schools among top-level institutions.

Pratt Institute

Since its founding in 1887 by industrialist Charles Pratt, the Pratt Institute has been one of the world’s best schools for engineering, architecture, and the fine arts. People from around the world flock to the school’s Brooklyn campus to enjoy its state-of-the-art resources.

The School of Design at Pratt teaches students the practical skills they need to design beautiful and practical clothes and think about clothing within social frameworks. 

Working under the school’s renowned faculty, students think about clothing as not just covering, but as a means for self-expression.

It’s no wonder that the magazine Vogue called the clothes modeled for the 2018 Pratt fashion show “an impressive show of talent which represented very different worldviews.”

New York City College of Technology

When it was established in 1946 as the New York State Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, the New York City College of Technology existed to train the waves of GIs returning from World War II.

Today, the school remains an ideal place to gain the technical skills employers crave. With a student body of over 17,000, City Tech specializes in subjects such as engineering, architecture, and various medical fields.

Thanks to its clear mandate, City Tech has trained a variety of important figures. Eric Adams earned his associate’s degree from City Tech while working in the mailroom of a law office. From that achievement, Adams earned a BA and a master’s degree in public education and became the mayor of New York City.

After earning AAS in hotel management from City Tech, Bill Yosses completed his BA and MA studies and eventually became one of the country’s best-known chefs. In addition to penning the bestseller Deserts for Dummies, Yossess served as Executive Pastry Chef at the White House, where he served Presidents and international dignitaries.

Medgar Evers College

A senior college in the City University of New York system, Medgar Evers College was founded in 1970, thanks to the work of educators and community leaders who wanted more opportunities for Brooklynites.

Named for the slain Civil Rights leader, Medgar Evers College features several research centers and institutes designed to improve lives within its community.

The Male Development and Empowerment Center strives to bring more men to the school and support Evers’s male student body. With programs that range from study skills and finance to studies on the pressures facing minority men in America, the Center works to make college a reality for more men.

Its counterpart, the Center for Women’s Development, promotes success among women by giving them tools for self-empowerment. With an emphasis on community and mentorship, the Center aids in alleviating the pressures of academic study and supports women with their various life challenges.

St. Francis College

A private college in the Franciscan tradition, St. Francis College traces its roots to 1859, when it was established by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn. The first private school within Brooklyn’s Roman Catholic Diocese, St. Francis was initially an all-boys school. However, it has since become a destination for people of all genders.

While it has become a small liberal arts college, St. Francis continues to draw from its founding principles of service and enlightenment. To that end, the school houses several cutting-edge centers and institutes, including a Woman’s Studies Center and the Center of Excellence in Project Management.

Since 1998, the Institute for International and Cross-Cultural Psychology has worked to increase our understanding of psychology in a global context. St. Francis faculty members team with a board of psychologists from six different countries to host conferences, publish papers, and create new curricula.

LIU Brooklyn

Part of the Long Island University system, LIU Brooklyn offers a wide range of unique degrees for a much lower tuition cost than many others of the same quality.

LIU Global is one of the only schools in Brooklyn to offer a global studies degree. Through the four-year program, students not only learn from accomplished faculty members from across the globe, but they also spend time studying abroad in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and more. 

During their freshmen year, students in LIU Global study at the Costa Rica Center, getting hands-on experience working with other cultures.

LIU Brooklyn also features the TV Writer Studio, a unique program created by Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Norman Steinberg. 

Participants in the Studio work under experienced television writers to develop their own pitches and portfolios, preparing for a career in the entertainment industry.

Kingsborough Community College

As Brooklyn’s only community college, Kingsborough Community College has a unique opportunity to offer accessible and affordable training and education to the community. And it has been incredibly successful in that goal. 

The Aspen Institute regularly includes Kingsborough among its list of the top ten community colleges in the United States.

As such a great school, Kingsborough has been able to train people who have gone on to success in a variety of fields.

Before becoming a world-champion heavyweight boxer, Riddick Bowe studied acting and business administration at Kingsborough. After earning an associate’s degree from Kingsborough in 1976, Barbara Patton went on to hold several political seats in the New York government, serving from 1986 to 1994.

With such a proud group of alumni, it’s no wonder that Kingsborough has won awards from the Center for Digital Education, the National Two-Year College English Association, and other respected bodies.

Touro University Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Part of the Touro University system, one of the largest private Jewish school systems, the Lander College of Arts and Sciences combines career-focused education with time-honored religious training. Although the school serves a diverse student body, it does maintain separate colleges for men and women.

The Lander School for Women not only provides the best in career prep and educational inquiry, but it does so on a campus that supports and respects Jewish traditions. 

With an emphasis on community, the Women’s School encourages collaboration between students. Offering more than 20 professional programs and several joint-degree programs, the Landers School for Women is sure to equip students with the skills they need.

In the Lander School for Men, students gain knowledge while finding ways to become responsible citizens by adhering to Jewish customs. 

In addition to the 20-degree majors provided on campus, the Men’s School also features online courses in the subjects of cybersecurity,  management/marketing, and psychology.

St. Joseph’s University

St. Joseph’s University is Brooklyn’s only historic women’s college, a private Catholic institution. Today, the school serves students of all genders, enjoying both a well-respected academic reputation and an active athletics program.

With a focus on student experience, St. Joseph’s emphasizes small classes, averaging a faculty-to-student ratio of 12:1. And with the school’s partnership with Suffolk County Community College, students can easily transfer to St. Joseph’s to complete their degrees and enter the workforce.

Thanks to these qualities, St. Joseph’s enjoys high rankings from many major outlets. According to U.S. News & World Report, the school is among the 100 best regional universities in the north and ranks among the top 50 schools for veterans and top performers in social mobility.

Thanks to its excellent education and support for students, St. Joseph’s is one of the best ways for working Brooklynites to earn their degrees.

Brooklyn Law School

Brooklyn Law School may be the only law school in the neighborhood, but that doesn’t mean it deserves sympathy. It is also one of the most respected law schools in the state. It has ranked high on lists from several outlets, with the New York Law Journal ranking it the #2 Best Overall Law School in 2017 and 2018 and the Leiter Report giving the school’s faculty 30^th place on its 2017 rankings of scholarly excellence.

Brooklyn Law earns special praise for its unique entertainment law program, which The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard Magazine have hailed. 

Those accolades should be no surprise, given that Brooklyn Law alumni include super-agent Allen Grubman, who has represented Mariah Carey and Bruce Springsteen.

The post The Best Colleges in Brooklyn, New York appeared first on collegegazette.com.

That is because most outsiders don’t fully understand the scale of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metroplex that includes many surrounding cities and suburbs. 

The sheer size of this area places it as the fourth largest metroplex in the country and the largest in Texas! 

Because of its size, Dallas goes big when it comes to business, faith, and culture. Not only is the area home to 22 Fortune 500 companies, it also has one of the largest concentrations of megachurches in Texas. 

A visit to the inner city of Dallas or Fort Worth will unveil a wide range of cultural sights that include the African American Museum, the Dallas Zoo, the Fort Worth Stockyards, and Six Flags. 

In addition, Dallas has a massive concentration of professional sports, including the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks, and the Dallas Stars.    

Those who are looking to move to the area will not be disappointed with all the opportunities for fun and career development. 

This is especially the case for students who are looking to attend school in the area. 

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has a massive concentration of top-notch schools. This list covers both Dallas and suburban Dallas and breaks down some of the unique aspects that make these schools among the best in the area.

University of Texas at Dallas

Located in one of Dallas’ northern suburbs, UT-D is considered one of the most affordable universities in the State of Texas. 

The university doesn’t let its R-1 status or long history of excellence in STEM get in the way of trying to provide accessible and affordable education to students from all backgrounds. 

UT-D was founded on the need to train more people in research and technology, and the more than 50 centers and institutes that make up its different departments now show how this commitment has been carried into the 21^st century. 

Students will be able to study with professors like Dr. Kenneth K. O, whose team of researchers have discovered revolutionary imaging technology that can help with seeing in blinding conditions like smoke and fog. 

Beyond academics, UT-D is also known for being the home of chess champions. Students in the UT-D Dallas Chess Team have won awards both nationally and internationally and regularly participate in the Pan American Intercollegiate Championship and the National Collegiate Chess League. The school even has students who have been featured in the American Chess Magazine. 

Whether researching or playing chess, UT-D lives up to the University of Texas school system prestige. 

University of North Texas

Rated “Best in the West” by The Princeton Review, UNT has a reputation for being top rated and for leading the way in firsts. 

UNT is uniquely home to the first jazz studies program, the first undergraduate program in behavior analysis, and the first aviation logistics program at a university in Texas. 

UNT’s reputation and proximity to the Dallas-Fort Worth area allow it to connect with one of the largest hubs of Fortune 500 companies. 

In addition, students have access to over 500 different companies for internships and have gone on to secure jobs in top-ranked industries like tech. 

Of the many different companies’ UNT has in its book of contacts, football fans will be thrilled to know the Dallas Cowboys franchise is on the list! 

UNT’s calls itself “The Mean Green” nation, and this is more than just a reference to their Division I sports teams. 

UNT is known for its research and participation in fighting for a healthier earth and offers 118 sustainability themed courses. 

Students who are interested in sustainability and environmental science will have the chance to work in at least four different research institutions, including UNT’s National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center.   

UNT believes in producing students who are the best even beyond the west. 

Southern Methodist University

Though the university is affiliated with the Methodist church, and its Perkins School of Theology is recognized as a training center by the Methodist Church, the university is open to people from all backgrounds and faiths. 

Community and inclusion are a big deal at SMU, and students are supported in both word and deed. 

Students need to look no further than the university’s LGBT programs to see the university’s commitment to a welcoming and diverse student body. 

For students who are looking to find a way to combine their spiritual life with their academic, SMU invites students to be part of The Center for Faith and Learning. 

Through the center, students can be part of programs like Faith & Learning Scholars that offer a chance for students to attend small groups, volunteer, and practice a personal faith. 

SMU offers a rich intersectional community that is committed to its founding Methodist principles of Wholeness, Purpose, Integrity, Growth, Discipline, Faithfulness, Trust, Joy, and Love/Acceptance. Students who are interested in learning more should visit the SMU admissions page. 

Texas Christian University

TCU has the unique distinction of being one of the earliest colleges to allow women to attend college with the men. 

This forward thinking since its founding can still be seen in many of the goals it is striving for and the programs it has implemented. 

One of the two universities in Texas to join in interrogating their past relationship to slavery and racism, TCU is part of the Universities Studying Slavery Consortium. 

The Consortium is part of an effort to find ways to describe the history of slavery in the United States ethically. TCU has joined the Consortium to forward its goal to become a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable university. 

TCU’s commitment to researching the past reflects their active commitment to conducting ethical and productive research to the greater Texan, American, and Global community. 

This can be seen in professors like Danica Knight, whose Trust-Based Relational Intervention has helped children and teens who are incarcerated. 

Professors and students at TCU use research to reduce injustices and inequitable conditions that they see in the larger community. 

Though Christian in name, the university extends a welcome to students from all faiths and backgrounds. This is evident in the university’s thriving LGBTQ+ community as well as the campus Hillel and Muslim Student Association. 

Texas Woman’s University

The largest institution in the nation dedicated to educating women, Texas Woman’s University prides itself on providing a quality education for hard-working women – and men. Unlike other women’s colleges that only accept women, TWU has opened its doors to men since 1972, and of the current student body, 11% are male. 

One of TWU’s priorities is the powerful impact of women and the challenges they face with accessibility and resources. This can be seen first and foremost in the university’s ranking as one of the top schools in the nation for students with children. But this is only the beginning of TWU’s efforts at accessibility. 

TWU’s Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership has provided women entrepreneurs well over $1 million in grants, training, and advisors in the areas of business, politics, and education. 

As a result of this program and other similar efforts, TWU has contributed at least $1.48 billion to the Texas economy. 

In addition to financial support, students have access to faculty who are highly involved in their areas of expertise. 

In the College of Arts and Sciences, students will find professors like Catalina Pislariu whose studies into soil bacteria secured her a $330,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. While over in the Nutrition and Food Sciences, students can work closely with Xiaofen Du whose work in sugar consumption garnered her a $64,000 grant. 

TWU is committed to contributing real-world solutions to real-world problems for all people regardless of gender, and they do it through the lens of empowering those that have been traditionally disempowered. 

University of Texas at Arlington

When it comes to inclusivity, UT Arlington casts a wide net. UTA is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPSI), and a number one ranked institution for veterans, all highly coveted designations in higher education. 

UTA extends this inclusivity to sports as well with its Movin’ Mavs Adaptive Sports Programs. 

Students with disabilities can join the women’s or men’s wheelchair basketball team and compete in the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament against the best teams in the nation.   

Success in and out of the classroom is essential to UTA. Students from all backgrounds can gain help from UTA’s intensive student success programs through the UTA Division of Student Services. 

Support through the program includes tutoring, peer support, residential learning communities, and advising. 

Finally, UTA knows that cost can be a significant barrier to pursuing higher education. 

As a result, the university implements several resources to help students afford their education. The university implements a guaranteed tuition plan, which ensures tuition rates remain the same when a student enters until they graduate from UTA. 

In addition, the university has many scholarship and grant options that students can both apply for and be considered automatically for upon admission. 

UTA opens the door to students instead of making them jump unnecessary hurdles to get a higher education. 

Dallas Baptist University

Dallas Baptist University combines strong Christian faith with a rigorous academic curriculum to offer students a Christ-centered education. 

Though the university offers many general degree plans, the curriculum at DBU reflects the university’s commitment to a Christian education. 

DBU believes instructors should be Christian leaders who are experts in their fields. That is why they hire professors like Cicely Jefferson in the Business and Public Law Department, who combines her extensive legal experience with a faith-based passion for nurturing her students into ethical businessmen and women. 

The university offers many different ways for students to put their faith in action, including regular global studies and mission trips. Students can go on trips close to home or international places like Spain and Rome. These trips offer students a chance to enrichen their Christian faith as well as their academic understanding. 

Christian faith is important to DBU in all areas of student life, including their Division II sports teams and Division I baseball team. 

The university is a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) and has won NCCAA Championships in men and women’s golf, women’s soccer, and men and women’s cross country. 

Located right between the Dallas-Fort-Worth divide, DBU is positioned in one of the most thriving and faith-based cities in the state of Texas.

The post Here Are the Best Colleges in Dallas appeared first on collegegazette.com.

And if you asked them to describe the big city in question, they’d probably talk about New York City. That shouldn’t be much of a surprise. After all, popular culture has taught that New York is one of the world’s most exciting and influential cities.

That’s good news. Because while New York City may conjure romantic images of giant Christmas trees and high-powered executives sealing big deals, the fact is that NYC is home to some of the best colleges in the country.

In New York, you can find a school to match your personality and dreams. The city is home to elite private institutions, religious schools of every persuasion, and fully-supported state schools. 

Every school in the city has its own share of excellent teachers, outstanding resources, and inspiring alumni.

Which school is the best for you? Here are our picks for 10 of the best colleges in New York City.

Baruch College

Part of the City University of New York system, Baruch College was founded in 1919. 

Over 100 years of existence, Baruch has trained people who have gone on to change the world. Graduates include everyone from pop star Jennifer Lopez and fashion icon Ralph Lauren to New York political figures Carl Heastie and Melissa Mark-Viverito.

These graduates benefited from Baruch’s excellent research programs.

At the Bernard L. Schwartz Communication Institute, students and faculty study the changing nature of communication in the 21^st century. 

Using innovative learning approaches, teachers working in the Schwartz Institute develop curricula that schools across the nation have adopted.

Located in the Weissman School of Arts, the Sandra Kahn Wasserman Jewish Studies Center has a proud history of preserving and advancing Jewish culture. 

With a steady program of lectures, exhibits, and classes, the Wasserman Center is central to improving the education of Baruch students.

Touro University

A private Jewish university founded in 1971, Touro provides a small liberal arts experience in the heart of New York City. 

The school serves approximately 5500 undergraduates and 4000 graduates each year, with a student body consisting of people from various faiths and ethnicities.

To expand its offerings for students, Touro enjoys affiliations with institutes around the world.

Law students benefit from the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center on Long Island. Touro Law Center has a reputation for innovative teaching, taking a student-first approach to the subject. In 2020, 70.7% of Touro Law Center graduates passed the Bar Exam on their first attempt.

The New York College of Podiatric Medicine is one of the most influential schools in the nation, training 1/4^th of the nation’s working podiatrists. Since joining the Touro College system, the College developed the curriculum followed by institutions around the country.

St. John’s University

A private Catholic institution established in 1870, St. Johns University began as a school to educate New York’s immigrant population.

Since then, St. John’s has educated some of the city’s greatest leaders. After graduating from St. Johns in 1953, Mario Cuomo went on to become mayor of New York City, holding the office for eleven years. 

Former U.S. Representative Bob Turner became a successful media executive after graduating from St. John’s.

Perhaps the most important part of St. John’s University is its School of Law. Thanks to its commitment to academic excellence, 89% of the school’s first-time test takers passed the bar exam in 2019. Even better, 82.3% of the class of 2018 was able to find full-time employment to make use of their degrees within nine months of graduating.

Pace University

Founded in 1906 as a business school, Pace University has become one of the best universities in the city. Students focus on everything from the arts to the STEM fields, taking advantage of New York’s cultural and academic offerings.

Perhaps the greatest advantage offered by Pace is its location. According to the observing website Niche.com, Pace is ranked 28^th on the list of Best College Locations in the U.S. 

Even better, most outlets consider Pace’s location to be one of the safest in New York.

The excellent location may be the reason that Pace has developed a legendary acting program. Pace’s Acting program entered the national consciousness with the interview program Inside the Actors Studio, in which famous actors come to campus to discuss their craft. 

Taught by a cadre of industry professionals, the acting program ensures a steady stream of performers to the New York theater scene.

CUNY – City College

The flagship institution in the City University of New York system, City College was founded in 1847 as the country’s first free public institution of higher education. 

Over the years, City College has educated accomplished individuals, including ten Nobel laureates and three recipients of the Pulitzer Prize.

City College is one of the most influential institutions in the country, pioneering several elements now common in higher education. 

The school was the first to institute a student government and the first to feature a fraternity that accepts members of any religion or race.

Perhaps the most important aspect of City College is the CUNY School of Law. As suggested by its motto, “Law in the Service of Human Needs,” CUNY Law exists to equip its students with the tools they need to improve the lives of others.

The program focuses on justice initiatives and research programs devoted to human rights. One such program, the Center for Latinx Rights and Equality works to address the concerns of New York’s Latinx population.

The New School

One of the nations most influential liberal arts institutions, The New School was founded in 1919 as a home for free-thinking intellectuals. It has since grown to become the premier training ground for artists of various styles.

The New School’s commitment to artist freedom can be demonstrated in part by its faculty. For example, the Jazz program features many legends teaching at the school, including Reggie Workman, a Jazz Master recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, and MacArthur fellow Mary Halvorson.

The Parsons School of Fashion Design at the New School features a faculty comprised of industry professionals.

These instructors bring not only their experience in marketing and design but also a commitment to innovation. Working with such professionals, students at the New School gain the inspiration and confidence to blaze their own trails.

Yeshiva University

Inspired by centrist Judaism, Yeshiva College exists to combine secular education with Jewish thought. Over its more than 130 year history, Yeshiva has strived to equip students to serve in the public sector and religious institutions.

Some of Yeshiva’s more notable alumni include Eddie Huang, the restauranter whose autobiography inspired the hit ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat. 

Howard Dean earned his M.D. from Yeshiva in 1978, eventually going on to become a successful physician and political figure in the Democratic Party.

One of the most important parts of Yeshiva is the Cardozo School of Law. Cardozo served as the founding place of the Innocence Project, a highly influential program that uses DNA testing to exonerate the wrongly accused.

Equally impressive is Cardozo’s Benjamin B. Ferencz Human Rights and Atrocity Prevention Clinic. Ferencz allows law students to gain hands-on experience and advances the school’s mission of service.

Fordham University

One of the oldest schools in New York State, Fordham University was established in 1841 as St. John’s College. The school has been the alma mater of influential world leaders, including political figures and billionaires.

Although ranked as a tier-two research institution, Fordham is home to the incredibly important Fordham University Press. 

An affiliate of Oxford University Press, Fordham disseminates cutting-edge research in the humanities and social sciences.

Furthermore, the press provides funding for undergraduates to pursue their research agendas, thanks to partnerships with the National Science Foundation, the American Museum of Natural History, and other institutions.

The Fordham School of Law continues this commitment to scholarly publishing, creating six law journals edited by students. 

These journals are recognized as the best in the field, and the Fordham Journal of Corporate & Financial Law is cited more than any other publication on the subject.

New York University

New York University may have started as an all-male school, but it has since grown to become one of the largest schools in the city.

 Considered highly selective by observing outlets, NYU features several groundbreaking programs.

At the center of NYU’s reputation are its research centers and schools.

Home to one of the country’s best music programs, the Clive Davis School of Recorded Music at NYU Tisch is recognized as an innovator in the field. In addition to traditional music education, Davis also offers a unique business degree, which trains its students to become “entrepreneurs” in the industry.

The Grossman School of Medicine is equally respected, thanks to its state-of-the-art facilities. Boasting offerings such as the newly constructed emergency simulation center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, Grossman prides itself on preparing future doctors for all potential scenarios. 

Likewise, the New York Simulation Center trains emergency workers, providing access to lifelike mannequins and practice materials.

Columbia University

Founded as King’s College in 1754, Columbia University is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York. Over its 250 years, Columbia University has produced three presidents, including Barack Obama, and numerous other political leaders.

To train such successful alumni, Columbia features one of the most impressive faculty bodies ever assembled. 

The school’s teachers include 58 winners of the Nobel Prize and 13 National Medal of Sciences winners. Currently, Columbia faculty includes groundbreaking international relations expert Michael W. Doyle and literary critic Saidiya Hartman, a MacArthur Genius.

But it’s not all hard work at Columbia, despite what its vaunted history might suggest. The school has a vibrant and fun social life, with its own celebrated traditions.

One of the school’s most popular traditions is the Varsity Show, for which students write and direct a new musical every year. 

To aid the process, Columbia recruits guest directors to lend their experience and expertise. 

Past directors include luminaries in the field, including Broadway legends Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. 

The post The 10 Best Colleges in New York City appeared first on collegegazette.com.

Attending college in Chicago can mean a big-city experience, with campuses right downtown where students can see the Cloud Gate or the Joffrey dancers practicing from their classrooms. Or they can choose a slower pace in a suburban green campus with gardens for recreation and studying.

Students can work for class credit in hands-on experiential learning classes. They can be a research assistant for the next Nobel prize winner. They can have their short stories critiqued by a Pulitzer winner or their singing coached by a Tony winner.

These city institutions give back, with social justice and equity missions to provide service to Chicagoans. Many offer admission to first-generation students; most have graduation success data higher than the national average as a result of strong mentorship and scholarship programs.

Chicago has been the city of dreams for many Americans migrating up the Mississippi or across the Appalachians. The schools on this list are helping students build their dream careers while conducting groundbreaking research, making art, and serving the community.

Chicago has the resources; these universities bring the vision, with innovative programs and renowned faculty from around the world.

This list includes schools both in Chicago as well as the greater Chicago area.

Here are our picks for 10 of the best colleges in Chicago.

North Park University

North Park University offers rigorous academics in a Christian context. The school respects other faiths and traditions among its student body, but North Park articulates its connection to the Evangelical Covenant Church and its seminary, the North Park Theological Seminary.

Located in Chicago’s North End, North Park earns praise for social mobility, innovation, and undergraduate teaching. Classes run small, averaging 17 students. Over 65% of students commute to campus daily, though students can access on-campus housing in several styles.

Public health, religious studies, criminal justice, and the business program make up some of the most popular majors. The Catalyst program offers experiential learning opportunities that maximize the school’s proximity to downtown Chicago and its resources.

Community service and spiritual growth provide the foundation for the North Park student experience. The school’s CRUX program seeks to help students find a vocation through urban outreach, faith, and community.

The school’s Johnson Center provides a high-tech center for students, classrooms, laboratories, and conference rooms to serve the campus and the community.

Northeastern Illinois University 

Northeastern spans Chicago, with a main campus on the Northwest side and satellite campuses in several neighborhoods. Top majors include computer science, psychology, social work, accounting, biology, and media studies.

Some key features of Northeastern: it’s one of the top schools nationally for graduating students college-debt-free, it’s a federally-designated Hispanic-Serving institution, and its diversity has been recognized by multiple evaluating boards. 

Northeastern Illinois University demonstrates a commitment to making quality degree programs available to students of all economic and social backgrounds.

Motivated students can take advantage of the resources in the school’s honors program, including smaller classes, scholarships, additional advisory support, and a community of similarly-focused cohorts. 

An array of study abroad options, from faculty-led short excursions to a full academic year placement, offer Northeastern students the chance to experience another culture fully.

Northeastern’s commitment to global understanding and the power of education shines brightest in its current Afghan Transition Program, available to Afghan refugees seeking asylum in the United States. The school plans to offer interested Afghan immigrants ESL assistance, tuition, and housing if needed.

National Louis University

With campuses in Florida and Chicago, National Louis University offers career-driven degree and certificate programs in a wide range of professional fields. 

Management and business programs, teaching and coaching paths, career-specific health care training, culinary training: National Louis provides practical, directed study options for people ready to move into their career roles as soon as possible.

To that end, National Louis partners with industry to give students a direct path to employment. Internships, campus employment events, online resources, and direct access to leaders in their chosen field allow students to realize their employment goals while completing their studies. 

Multiple locations and schedule flexibility make National Louis a good option for students already pursuing a career.

The application process at National Louis takes life experience into account, often offering credit. 

Its history of working with underserved populations, whether nontraditional learners, immigrant, or financially unable to afford college, dates back to its association with the legendary reformer Jane Addams, when the school offered educational opportunities to the populations served by Hull House.

Its National College of Education provides educators with specific professional development training, conducting research and determining the best approaches for education at all levels. 

The P.A.C.E. program allows students with developmental disabilities to pursue post-secondary education for life skills and employment readiness.

National Louis earns acclaim for Kendall College, its culinary and baking arts program. On-site professional facilities and hands-on training ready Kendall students for advanced culinary careers. 

For practical skills taught in a targeted academic context, National Louis serves its students efficiently and affordably.

Roosevelt University

With a commitment to social justice and inclusion, Roosevelt University focuses on equity, recruiting underserved populations, extending programs to students with disabilities, and reaching out to first-generation college students. 

Roosevelt’s diversity benefits the entire campus, offering the entire student body a range of experience and understanding in their academic community.

Roosevelt leverages its downtown Chicago location to offer students internship and experiential learning opportunities. A student body under 5,000 and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio gives Roosevelt students the chance to form bonds with their peers and with faculty.

Service-learning anchors the Roosevelt program, with 36 courses involving a service component. Hands-on, career-focused degree programs offered through Robert Morris Experiential College give students a chance to begin working in their fields while studying, in programs from cyber security to film studies.

Roosevelt ranks highly for diversity and for its music and performing arts programs. Roosevelt students overwhelmingly agree that faculty demonstrate commitment to teaching, and most agree that they’ve been able to get the coursework they need for their program.

Illinois Institute of Technology

The Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago’s only tech-focused university, offers degrees in engineering, the sciences, architecture and design, business, and law. 

The school articulates its central mission as socio-economic mobility, and as the number 1 school in Illinois moving families from the bottom 20% of income to the top 20%, Illinois Tech fulfills that mission.

Forbes recognizes Illinois Tech as a top STEM college, and U.S. News ranks it highly for value, at #42 nationally. Students can expect immediate benefits from an IIT education; 84% of graduates find employment or enroll in a graduate program within six months of receiving a diploma.

IIT’s experiential, learn-by-doing approach, along with extensive career counseling and support, helps students find internships that will lead to career placement. The school’s Kaplan Institute serves as a working space for student entrepreneurial projects, allowing them to start their own business or research projects while pursuing their degrees.

Research institutes in biomedical science, sustainable energy, food safety, and other areas give students the opportunity to participate in high-level research. Exceptionally motivated students can take advantage of the school’s accelerated Master’s program, completing their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the time it takes many students to finish an undergraduate program.

DePaul University

DePaul offers students the best of both worlds in terms of location: with one campus adjacent to Lake Michigan in a park setting and another in Chicago’s lively downtown Loop, students can vary their experiences.

A private, Catholic institution, DePaul’s name derives from St. Vincent De Paul, and the university was founded on De Paul’s mission toward underserved populations. Among DePaul Universities students today, about a third are the first in their families to attend college.

High-ranking programs run throughout the school’s many departments; top 25 programs in business, entrepreneurship, film, drama, PR, and other communication programs stand out. Game design and animation programs earn especially high praise, both at undergraduate and graduate levels. 

DePaul’s Theater program is the oldest theater conservatory in the Midwest.

DePaul’s renown for innovative adult education programs shows in its continuing and professional education department, formerly the School for New Learning, a flexible program designed for adults returning to complete undergraduate or graduate degrees in order to enhance their career opportunities.

The Blue Demons enjoy a versatile program and campus, a rich Division I sports legacy, impressive career success rates, and many service opportunities for students and staff.

Loyola University Chicago

Loyola University is a large, private, Jesuit institution with its central campus in downtown Chicago. While Loyola students can be of any religious background, most students take part in the Jesuit mission of knowledge, ethics, and service to humanity.

Nursing, biological sciences, business, psychology, and criminal justice are among the most popular majors, and each of these programs is ranked in roughly the top 10% of their fields nationally.

Loyola has a campus in Rome, but offers study abroad opportunities around the world, enthusiastically supporting student participation and providing a host of scholarships to make the study abroad experience available to any student.

The unique J-Term at Loyola gives students a way to get mandatory coursework completed in a condensed time frame or provides a chance for students to take a course outside their primary areas of interest. These ten-day intensive classes take place during winter break (the J stands for January); for two weeks, students can immerse themselves in topics from cell biology to Polish short stories.

Most Loyola students participate in a considerable amount of public and community service. Members of the organization Loyola 4 Chicago commit to once a week volunteer service throughout the academic year, tutoring at Chicago schools or working with Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

Division I sports, several hundred campus organizations, events including arts workshops, theatrical presentations, seasonal festivals, and spiritual retreats: the Rambler campus maintains its mission with a balance of academic rigor, public service, and self-care.

University of Illinois, Chicago

A public research university in downtown Chicago, the University of Illinois Chicago is made up of sixteen colleges and schools. 

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences covers a broad spectrum of coursework; more specialized colleges offering degree programs include many public service areas like urban planning, public health, nursing, education, and pharmacy.

UIC students can participate in research in one of the many research centers and institutes on campus, including ones for environmental science, cyberinfrastructure, and health research and policy. Over 40 designated Illinois Board of Higher Education Official Centers for research in topics from literacy to magnetic resonance are housed on campus.

For motivated students interested in being part of a smaller, rigorous academic community, the Honors College opens the door to special lectures, seminars, and coursework, along with designated facilities and Honors-only organizations. Additional scholarships are available for Honors students.

Social and economic equity emerge as priorities throughout UIC’s mission and organization. Around 78% of students receive financial aid of some kind, and the campus offers extensive academic and career counseling for its students, many of whom represent the first generation of their families to attend college.

UIC’s Guaranteed Professional Program Admission allows students who know they want to attend a postgraduate program to secure admission as freshmen, leaving them free to pursue a variety of coursework as undergraduates.

Northwestern University

Northwestern University stands as one of the few institutions with global renown in multiple divisions of academic study. 

Its law, music, and medical schools date back to the nineteenth century. It’s a longstanding leader in research whose research funding has increased 127% in the last decade. It’s both established and innovative, rooted in tradition but always moving forward.

Northwestern students accept the greater challenges offered by a school with rich academic choices and research opportunities. More than two-thirds of undergraduates combine at least two areas of study, and about half participate in study abroad programs.

Acceptance rates run at around 7%, but accepted students enjoy a 6:1 student-faculty ratio. The Northwestern faculty includes Nobel and Pulitzer winners, MacArthur Genius Grant awardees, winners of Tony, Emmy, and Grammy awards.

U.S. News ranks Northwestern at #9 among all universities nationwide. Popular activities on campus include a champion speech and debate team, multiple student-run periodicals, and student-run-theater and film companies. The only private school in the Big 10 conference, the Wildcats have a high rate of successful graduation for student-athletes.

Alumni include heads of state, Supreme Court justices, and leaders in media, science, and engineering. The president and COO of SpaceX and the director of the Smithsonian, the Duchess of Sussex and the prime minister of Belgium, and both Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert are all Northwestern graduates.

University of Chicago

Looking at the University of Chicago’s application for admission reveals its status as a different kind of institution from the beginning. Elite without elitism, rooted in history but always questioning assumptions, the University of Chicago shapes American thought in its classrooms, research facilities, and in conversations across its campus.

While the student body of the University of Chicago includes some of the brightest students in the world, the institution makes clear it’s looking for critical thinkers and intellectual risk-takers. 

In the application process, candidates respond to essay topics like “what’s so easy about pie?” or “describe a picture, and explore what it wants.” Some of the essay topics come from Chicago alumni; these essays serve to reveal as much about the school and its approach as they do about the candidates responding to them.

Bound together by intellectual curiosity and a commitment to knowledge, the student body at Chicago forges strong traditions and lifelong associations. Classes run on the quarter system, and first-year students live in housing communities with specific support structures, including upperclassmen in residence to give advice.

Each student works directly with a faculty advisor as a guide through the rigorous Chicago academic terrain, from the compulsory Core curriculum through choosing among 50 majors and 40 minors. Given the university’s global role as a research leader in numerous fields, students can be involved in hands-on research within their disciplines from their freshman year.

Over 160 research centers, from the Fermilab to the Becker Freidman Institute for Research in Economics, draw the most innovative minds from around the world to teach and work at the university. The faculty boasts 94 Nobel laureates, and its stated principles of free expression have been adopted by universities around the world. No other school resembles it.

The University of Chicago ranks at number 9 in the top ten universities worldwide, one of five U.S. schools to make the 2021 list. This university community of iconoclasts and visionaries will continue to ask and answer the impossible questions.

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It’s not hard to see why so many schools want the designation. 

When people think of a college town, they not only imagine a host of institutions to train the best and brightest of the area. College towns are filled with cultural offerings, such as concerts and art installations, visits from intellectuals and politicians, and often economic growth. 

But while many American cities can be considered college towns, none embody that term better than Boston, Massachusetts. 

Once the cultural and intellectual capital of the United States, Boston has roots that go back to the nation’s founding. 

Rather than rest on their laurels, the people of Boston have continued to improve the city’s institutions, adding more schools and increasing the influence of those already in place. 

Because of that work, most people are aware of the most famous Boston schools, MIT and Harvard. But the list goes much, much deeper. 

To help future students choose the best schools in one of America’s oldest cities, we’ve put together this list of the top ten colleges in the greater Boston area. 

Each school here is ranked based on its position in the US News best national universities list at the time of this writing.

So if you’re ready to go to the ultimate college town, read on and make your choice. 

10. Lesley University (Cambridge, MA)

Few schools have experienced quite the rise in fortunes enjoyed by Lesley University. When the school was established in 1909 as the Lesley Normal School, classes were held inside the home of founder Edith Lesley. 

Lesley built her school around the principle that each human was unique. That belief drives the school even today, as it devotes itself to the human arts. 

All of Lesley University’s programs are built around the intersection of the visual arts, education, and counseling. In fact, the school trains more teachers and counselors than any other institution in New England. 

With an endowment of $194.1 million, Lesley works to create innovative and exciting programs that emphasize the human element of the arts and professional fields. 

We see evidence of that commitment not only in Lesley’s degree offerings, which range from expected programs in business management to unique and necessary degrees, including expressive therapies. Every degree offered at Lesley emphasizes individuality and creativity, giving students plenty of space to plan and pursue their own interests. 

Lesley also puts humanity first in its expansion initiatives. Thanks to partnerships with local companies and smart planning, Lesley has been able to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of its campus by nearly 90%. 

Whether it’s giving students the tools to become caring and empathetic therapists or helping the next generation of writers find their voices, Lesley lives up to its goal of making education a human endeavor. 

Not bad for a school that started in a Cambridge house. 

9. UMass Boston (Boston, MA)

Not only is the University of Massachusetts’s Boston campus the third-largest of the system’s five schools, but it is also the third most-diverse school in the United States. 

UMass Boston didn’t earn that rank by accident. Rather, it’s the result of active decisions on the part of University leaders. 

The school takes as a given that diversity matters, not just for the sake of serving the community of Boston, but for the education of its students. 

By exposing them to different types of people, UMass Boston gives its students more opportunities to grow and learn. 

To that end, the school features an active Office of Global Programs, which both recruits students across the world and supports them in their endeavors. 

Thanks to their desire to create global citizens, participants in a worldwide community, Umass Boston has become home to students and faculty from 136 countries. 

With this strong community in place, Umass Boston students are well suited to develop their critical thinking skills. The school supports that learning with a wide range of engaging degree programs. 

At the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, students gain the experience and knowledge they need to be players on the world stage. Students in McCormack study government policy and research movements affecting all nations. 

Its Conflict Resolution Graduate program was one of the first in the nation, and the Gender, Leadership, and Public Policy program continues to win awards for innovation. 

8. Simmons University (Boston, MA)

As a private women’s school, Simmons University has trained barrier-breaking women in a range of fields. Simmons alumni include NBC News correspondent Rehema Ellis, prisoner’s rights activist Barbara Margolis, and noted political journalist Gwen Ifill. 

Such a proud tradition of excellence stems directly from Simmons’s efforts to create strong leadership training supported by a liberal arts foundation. 

Boasting a faculty consisting of 72% women, Simmons offers small class sizes. With an average student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1 and an average class size of only 15 students, everyone attending Simmons benefits from access and attention from faculty. 

Teachers are more than just educators; they are mentors. 

As mentors, the faculty at Simmons works to integrate its students into the larger population of Boston. Taking advantage of its central location, the school offers numerous field trips and research expeditions to the city’s historical sites. 

Furthermore, the school collaborates with other institutions in the area, allowing them to form cross-disciplinary relationships. 

With connections to the Boston Public Library, the John F. Kennedy Library, and the Massachusetts Historical Society, Simmons expands its already impressive offerings. 

Likewise, the school’s partnerships with institutions such as the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Museum of Fine Arts allow them to secure internships at these and other esteemed centers of learning. 

With these systems in place, Simmons can graduate the next generation of inspirational women. 

One such woman is Terri Bright, who has gone on to become the Director of Behavior Services at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Angell Animal Medical Center (MSPCA Angell).

7. Northeastern University (Boston, MA)

A tier-one university renowned for its high caliber of research, Northeastern University is one of the most selective schools in Boston. Only 18% of those who apply to Northeastern are granted acceptance to study at the university. 

Thanks to a remarkable endowment worth over $1 billion, Northeastern is a leader in a number of research fields. Several research centers make their home at Northeastern, particularly in the STEM subjects. 

The Institute for Experiential Robotics advances the study and creation of artificial intelligence. Students and researchers in the IER study human behavior and machine learning to bridge the gap between robot and person. 

The Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security works alongside the research and development teams of companies across the world. Thanks to the resources available from Northeastern, companies can find ways to protect their investments and projects from threats across the world. 

As impressive as these initiatives may be, they do not make up the whole of Northeastern’s aims. The university is also famed for its cooperative education program. 

Working alongside over 3,000 partners in every continent, the co-op program provides students with experiential learning. 

More than a mere internship, the co-op programs not only allow students to apply their learning in real-world situations, everything from local charities to Fortune 500 businesses, but also the chance to form their own co-ops. The program lets students take the lead in their education and training. 

6. Brandeis University (Waltham, MA)

Established in 1948 by the Jewish community in Boston, Brandeis University is one of the younger schools on this list. But make no mistake, the university has wasted no time establishing itself as one of the best in the area. 

With a strong focus on the liberal arts, Brandeis has established itself as the home of a number of impressive artists and academics. 

Over the years, the school has been associated with everyone from former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to Adam Cheyer, creator of the Siri software used on Apple phones and computers. 

In fact, alumni and teachers include winners of major awards, such as the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes, as well as MacArthur Fellows and heads of state. 

Brandeis can partially attribute this success to the work of its many research centers. 

Famous for its work on social and health policies, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management gives grad students and researchers support to develop new ways of addressing issues such as substance abuse, mental health, and family challenges. 

In the field of finance programs, the university sits near the top of most rankings, thanks to the work of the Brandeis International Business School. With programs on management, economic policy, microcredit lending, and more, the IBS has moved to the forefront of financial education. 

With these and other programs at their disposal, Brandeis has used its first 75 years to make a name for itself. And as their research shows, the university will only grow in esteem over the next 75 years. 

5. Boston University (Boston, MA)

Many of the schools on this list pride themselves on their engagement with social issues. But few can beat out Boston University, which established the Martin Luther King Chair of Social Ethics back in the 1960s. 

However, that and other similar programs came directly from the action of students, whose protests and activism have established a history of positive change on the campus. 

Today, Boston University remains focused on empowering its students and on engaging with the community. With a body of over 34,000 students, BU is committed to helping students pursue their passions and enjoy new experiences. 

It’s that commitment that allows for unique art installations at Boston University. In August of 2021, MFA lighting design candidate Kayleigha Zawacki staged “Panthera Tigris,” an exploration of wildlife conservation using lighting, sound, projected animation, and scenery. 

The commitment to helping students expand their horizons also drives the school’s scientific endeavors. Working in coordination with financial firm Mass Mutual, BU recently secured $1 million to develop a new Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences position. 

With that endowment, BU will secure a role for a faculty member with practical experience to bridge the gap between technology and everyday concerns. 

As these many initiatives demonstrate, Boston University continues the school’s history of empowering students to make a real difference in their lives and the lives of others. 

4. Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)

Founded in 1863 by the Jesuits, Boston College exists to fulfill the mission of the Catholic Order by encouraging faith and service through liberal arts education. BC trains students to be problem-solvers, working to address some of the most pressing issues of our age and to improve the world for everyone. Following its religious tradition, BC encourages the pursuit of truth.

Although Boston College is a tier-one institution with high research activity, it refuses to refer to itself as a university. To the administrators at BC, the word “college” better reflects the school’s small-town feel and tight-knit community. 

To that end, the BC campus has everything you’d expect within a small community, including a vibrant information system. 

Several student-run newspapers are published at BC, including the progressive magazine The Gavel, the Catholic paper The Torch, and the satirical outlet The New England Classic. 

Additionally, broadcast networks such as the student-run radio station WZBC and the cable television station BCTV. 

Apropos of the school’s religious affiliation, the BC community includes 112 Jesuits living on campus, one of the largest such groups in the world. 

Jesuits serve not only as students and faculty members, but also as advisors and support services. 

Because of this solid Catholic tradition, many chapels are housed on BC’s campus. 

But the school’s primary church is the Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, located off-campus. In addition to providing St. Ignatius with tech services and other support, several BC students teach in the church’s religious education program.  

3. Tufts University (Medford, MA)

Originally a small New England liberal arts school, Tufts University has grown to become one of the most important institutions in the nation. 

Not only does it feature all of the excellent programs and scholarly initiatives one would expect of a tier-one research institution, but Tufts focuses all of its offerings around an ethos of active citizenship and public service. 

That commitment to service and citizenship is most apparent in Tufts’s international affairs graduate school, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. 

One of the oldest such schools in the United States, the Fletcher School prepares students to navigate the complex waters of international affairs. The school’s alumni operate in over 150 countries, serving as diplomats, ambassadors, corporate executives, and more. 

Likewise, the Tufts Medical Center is a state-of-the-art teaching hospital for medical students. The Center features a renowned emergency department and a level one trauma center, designed to give students hands-on training in the most high-stakes situations. 

Students can also participate in the Medical Center’s research programs, which focus on issues such as cardiac health and obesity. 

Although it doesn’t deal with public policy, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University serves the public by demonstrating forms of human expression. 

Operating in cooperation with Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, the school offers undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as numerous installations, showings, and workshops. 

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is not just one of the top schools in the city of Boston. 

It’s one of the best in the entire world. 

MIT is inextricably associated with cutting-edge technology and the latest in scientific research. 

Since the school’s founding in 1861, it has been associated with leaders in every STEM discipline as well as winners of every major award. 

The school’s alumni, faculty, and research fellows include 8 Fields Medalists, 26 winners of the Turing Award, and 97 Nobel laureates. Its graduates go on to lead the world’s most innovative and influential think tanks, research labs, and companies. 

Students go on to such auspicious achievements thanks to MIT’s unparalleled resources. The school’s faculty is comprised of distinguished researchers and teachers, including 67 Guggenheim Fellows, 6 Fulbright Scholars, and 22 MacArthur Fellows.

Current faculty members include economist Peter Diamond. In addition to winning the Nobel Prize for economics in 2010, Diamond has been a key architect of American social security policy. 

Professor of computer science Regina Barzilay won a MacArthur Fellowship for her work on artificial intelligence. She serves as the faculty lead for AI projects at the Jameel Clinic. 

Thanks to the work of these remarkable faculty members, MIT has a reputation for important research. 

The school receives most of its research funding from the U.S. government, including nearly $256 million from the Department of Health and Human Services, $97.5 million from the Department of Defense, and $27.4 million from NASA. 

1. Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)

It should come as no surprise that Harvard University tops this list. Few schools in the world can match Harvard in terms of teaching, research, and academic influence. As the flagship Ivy League institution, Harvard is one of the most selective and reputable schools in the United States. 

Founded in 1636, Harvard is also the oldest university in the United States. Its faculty, researchers, and alumni have won every notable award, including 161 Nobel laureates, 18 Fields Medalists, 375 Rhodes Scholars, and 255 Marshall Scholars. Amazingly, 188 billionaires graduated from Harvard, more than any other university. 

Part of that success comes from the remarkable support Harvard enjoys. With an endowment of approximately $41.9 billion, Harvard is among the wealthiest schools in the world. 

As one would expect, Harvard puts that money to excellent use, with many record-breaking research centers and institutions at its disposal, including Harvard Medical School, the Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and more. 

That funding also goes toward operating the school’s museums and libraries. The Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library serves as the center of the university’s library system. Widener holds approximately 3.5 million books, including a complete original Gutenberg Bible.  

A collection of three museums – the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Sackler Museum – the Harvard art museums feature some of the most important works in the west. 

Holdings include paintings from Dutch Masters Rembrandt and Steen, works of the German Expressionists, and more. 

As demonstrated by this very brief list, just the tip of the university’s offerings, it’s no wonder why Harvard is the best school in the ultimate college town of Boston.

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Students who attend college on Long Island can take advantage of the area’s diverse cultural offerings and natural settings. Long Island includes the NYC boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, with many colorful neighborhoods, restaurants, museums, and nightlife. 

However, outside of the NYC metro area, students can also enjoy the beauty of protected wetlands near the South Shore and the sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. Small, quiet towns dot the rural landscape and provide a slower pace of life.

The colleges on Long Island range from small, private faith-based liberal arts institutions to large public universities that attract students from across the globe. From the arts to medicine to engineering and every topic in between, students can find a college that meets almost every career goal on Long Island. 

Plus, many of Long Island’s colleges have programs that are rated by major academic ranking publications, including U.S. News and World Report. To help students narrow down their decisions, the editors at College Gazette have compiled this top 10 list of the best colleges on Long Island. 

Here are 10 of the best colleges on Long Island.

Saint Joseph’s College (Patchogue, NY)

Saint Joseph’s College has campuses in Brooklyn and on Long Island near downtown Patchogue. SJC also has online options, too. This private school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the liberal arts, sciences, health administration, and pre-law. 

Moreover, the school tries to keep attendance costs low, with tuition rates about $8,600 less than the national average for private, four-year colleges. Financial aid is generous, too, with about 84% of students receiving some sort of assistance in 2019-2020.

Saint Joseph’s faculty are dedicated to helping students succeed, as demonstrated by the school’s retention rates that are higher than national averages. And because of their students’ success, SJC regularly finds itself on “best of” lists from U.S. News and World Report, which rated it as the #71 regional university in the north. It’s also the #39 best college for veterans. 

Five Towns College (Dix Hills, NY)

Five Towns College is a small, private school with undergraduate, graduate, and even doctoral programs in creative fields like music, film, computer graphics, audio recording, and theatre. Business administration and management degrees are offered, too, and students can concentrate in marketing or music management. 

Located just one hour from New York City, students learn from challenging hands-on curricula and seasoned faculty who are prepared to help each student achieve their creative potential. And through the Career Services office, students can find internships and connect with potential employers.

U.S. News places Five Towns College as #41-#53 among the best regional colleges in the north. But the college is ranked even higher at #16 for the social mobility of its students, a ranking that reflects how many economically disadvantaged students graduate from an institution. 

New York Institute of Technology (Old Westbury, NY)

Although another campus is located in New York City, the New York Institute of Technology also maintains a Long Island campus. Located along the historic North Shore, the campus is considered to be one of the safest in the country. 

Students can choose from over 90 technology-focused fields of study like architecture and engineering, cybersecurity, the sciences, and healthcare. Additionally, NYIT has degrees that are seldomly offered at other Long Island schools, like architecture computational technologies, energy management, supply chain management. Basically, the programs want to reach those who are “do-ers”—students with an entrepreneurial spirit.

U.S. News places NYIY at #34 in its list of the best regional university in the north. Plus, it’s rated as the #15 best college for veterans and the #56 best school for the value.

Molloy College (Rockville Center, NY)

As the #26 regional university in the north according to U.S. News, Molloy College has programs in the sciences and liberal arts. This Catholic-based institution offers small class sizes with a student-to-faculty ratio of just 10:1, one of the nation’s lowest ratios. 

In addition, Molloy has developed several online and blended programs that allow students to earn a flexible degree on their own time while balancing their existing personal and professional responsibilities. What’s more, although all of Molloy’s programs are affordable, the college gives specific tuition discounts to law enforcement officers and other first responders.

Although Molloy College has degree options at the undergraduate and doctoral levels, the school has made a particular effort to grow its graduate programs in the last ten years. In fact, the number of Molloy’s graduate students has increased by 64% over the previous decade.

SUNY Old Westbury (Old Westbury, NY)

SUNY’s Old Westbury campus offers almost 60 bachelor’s and master’s fields of study at this public institution. All undergraduates must take the core Liberal Education Curriculum, which gives students a broad understanding of the world through courses in diversity, the American experience, culture, and the social sciences. 

Freshmen receive special support through the First-Year Experience Program that is designed to give students the skills they need in study skills and time management to succeed in college. Freshmen as well as upperclassmen can also apply to be a part of the Honors College, a talented group of students who can benefit from academically advanced classes.

In a list of the top public schools, U.S. News and World Report ranks SUNY-Old Westbury at #50-62. Moreover, it’s the #7 school for students’ social mobility. 

Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY)

Hofstra University is a private college that offers bachelor’s through doctorate degrees in the health sciences, arts, STEM fields, business, law, education, and more. And for students who want to meet niche career goals, specialized tailored programs are available, too.

Hofstra’s education model follows three basic principles: participation, investigation, and collaboration. Students are encouraged to be active participants in their own education and become involved in campus activities. They are also urged to be curious and engage in research with groups of fellow students.

Hofstra appears on many rankings, including U.S. News’s list of best national universities, best colleges of veterans, and best value schools. In addition, several individual programs are also nationally ranked; the undergraduate engineering program, for example, is ranked as the #33 in the United States.

Webb Institute (Glen Cove, NY)

Unlike the other schools in this top 10 list, the Webb Institute is solely devoted to a single field of study: navel engineering. In fact, the only degree that is offered is a dual bachelor’s of science in naval architecture and marine engineering. However, because of this niche emphasis, the faculty can focus on helping students be the very best in this field. 

With this rigorous curriculum, students learn marine, electrical, and civil engineering through classroom instruction coupled with authentic hands-on work experiences with this rigorous curriculum.

What’s more, all students who are U.S. citizens receive a full-tuition scholarship, making Webb an extremely affordable option and landing it in the top 10 best-valued colleges according to Payscale.com. 

Even more importantly, 100% of graduates find jobs after leaving Webb.

Long Island University (Brookville, NY)

At Long Island University, students can choose from over 275 programs at all levels of study, from bachelor’s to doctoral degrees. Furthermore, LIU has more healthcare professional programs than any other school in the NYC area, making it a popular place to study nursing, pharmacy, and health sciences. 

And because of its proximity to the art centers of New York City, LIU has also become known for its program in theatre and music, with degrees in music performance, technology and productions, and even music entrepreneurship.

The LIU-Post campus in Brookville has a small student-to-faculty ratio of just 10:1. So it’s no surprise that LIU makes so many “best of” lists each year. For example, The Princeton Review ranks it as one of the best northeastern regional colleges, and it’s also on the U.S. News and World Report’s list of the best national universities. 

SUNY Stony Brook (Stony Brook, NY)

SUNY has a simple yet bold mission: to change the world through research and intellectual discovery. Students can choose from over 200 majors and dual-degree programs, and research is integrated throughout the curriculum. For instance, the URECA program (Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities) supports research at the bachelor’s level through grants and travel funding.

And because of the dedication of the faculty and staff to their mission, this public university has been ranked in the top 1% among universities across the globe, accounting to QS World University Rankings. U.S. News also puts it in the top 40 public universities in the country. 

Still, the school’s programs remain relatively affordable, and Forbes has even listed SUNY as one of the top 15 best-valued colleges in America. 

Adelphi University (Garden City, NY)

Adelphi University is the island’s oldest institution for bachelor’s and master’s degrees; it offers doctoral programs, too. The curriculum focuses on four core areas: healthcare, professional studies, STEM fields, and the arts and humanities, and both on-campus and online options are available. Adelphi is especially known for its graduate nursing program, landing it among the top nursing programs in the country.

In addition to other rankings like placement on U.S. News’s “best national universities” list, Adelphi also won a prestigious 2020 award from the American Association of University Administrators. Specifically, the award was given for the school’s innovative Prep for Success program, which helps students find paid internships and assists with job placement after graduation.

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In addition to these great amenities, Riverside and the surrounding area also have several reputable institutes of higher learning, ranging from community colleges to a branch of the University of California system. Students can study everything from technical and medical subjects to the liberal arts. 

Students at these fine institutes can study hundreds of subjects from some of the best faculty in the country. All of the colleges in the following list are located near or within the Riverside limits. 

Without further ado, here are 10 of the best colleges in Riverside, California.

San Bernardino Valley College

The main goal of San Bernardino Valley College is to prepare students for the workforce through applied degrees and certificates or to prepare students to transfer to a four-year university successfully. Therefore, this public community college offers a range of 88 different associate’s degrees in the arts and sciences. Non-credit and weekend courses are offered as well, and many are 100% online.

San Bernardino Valley College also has several resources that support student success. For example, SBVS students with children benefit from the childcare services at the Child Development Center. Plus, the 360 Valley Research Center provides food, clothing, and hygiene products for students in need, giving them more time and energy to focus on their academic studies.

Chaffey College 

Located in Rancho Cucamonga, Chaffey College was the first public community college in California. Today, the school offers more than 170 occupational certificates and associate degrees offered on-campus, online, and through the Industrial Technical Learning Center. Students can pursue multiple career tracks, from art and design to business, health, manufacturing, transportation, and even public service. Chaffey has one of the oldest aviation education programs in the country, too. 

Chaffey College is known for having some of the traditional student experiences offered at larger, four-year universities. For example, the school is part of a group of 13 other community colleges that partner to offer study abroad opportunities. And for highly motivated students, the college has an honors program, too, where students can enjoy smaller classes and closer relationships with their professors. 

Riverside City College

Riverside Community College is located in the heart of Riverside’s historic downtown. As a community college, RCC prepares students to enter careers after graduation or transfer to a four-year institution through over 100 certificates and associate’s degrees. The faculty and staff have a mission to help every student reach their full academic and personal potential. Despite the relatively large size of the college—reaching 30,000 students every year—the college keeps class sizes small and tuition costs low.

Many students at RCC are already in the workforce and come to campus for additional training in specialized skills. For example, RCC has one of the best nursing programs in the state. The college is also known for training artists, chefs, and automotive technicians. In fact, in addition to the main downtown campus, a state-of-the-art concert hall, music building, and fully-equipped culinary arts facility give students the chance to learn from the latest technologies. 

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa Pacific is a private Christian university offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees through 60 majors and over 200 on-campus and online programs. U.S. News and World Reports frequently ranks the university among the best colleges in the country. In 2021, it was ranked #227 among national universities. Additionally, in a list of the “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” U.S. News ranked Azusa as #71 for its commitment to help economically disadvantaged students graduate from college. Furthermore, The Princeton Review also lists APU as one of the best colleges in the western United States.

U.S. News also rated Azusa Pacific as #27 for first-year experiences for incoming students. As part of the school’s dedication to all students, it promotes a transformational education model and seeks to make students from all backgrounds welcome in their educational community.

La Sierra University

La Sierra University, which offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, is part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s higher education system yet welcomes a diverse student body to its Riverside campus. The school’s mission weaves religious beliefs with high standards for academic excellence and community service. In fact, U.S. News and World Report has ranked La Sierra as #68 among regional universities in the western United States and claims it is one of the most diverse universities. Additionally, it is ranked at #17 for the social mobility of its students. 

Students at La Sierra can study the sciences, business, healthcare, and liberal arts, among other topics. However, the school is primarily known for its art, design, and film production programs. In addition, due to its religious foundation, La Sierra also offers specialty programs in philosophical studies and a niche curriculum that studies archaeology in a religious context.

Point Loma Nazarene University

With campuses in both San Diego and Riverside, CA, this private institution has high academic standards, having been ranked among the nation’s top 5 most selective Christian universities. Moreover, U.S. News frequently puts Point Loma on several “best of” lists. For example, in 2021, U.S. News declared the school to be #13 in regional universities in the western United States. Plus, it’s the #8 best college for veterans and #16 in a list of schools that offer the best value.

PLNU offers over 60 areas of study, mainly focused on the liberal arts. Undergraduate and graduate programs are available, and some are offered online. Point Loma stresses that well-rounded graduates find the most success in their careers. Therefore, all undergraduates take a Foundational Explorations curriculum to survey the humanities, sciences, and social sciences alike. In addition, the school has low student-to-teacher ratios at just 14:1.

Loma Linda University

Loma Linda University is the second Seventh-day Adventist college to make this top 10 list of the best universities in Riverside. The programs are all centered around the sciences and healthcare, offering degrees in behavioral and public health, dentistry, medicine, nursing, and related healthcare fields. 

However, the School of Religion also has master’s degrees blending the study of religion, society, and bioethics, tying the religion programs back to the school’s healthcare focus.

Like many schools on this list, Loma Linda is frequently ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Recent accolades for 2021 include a tie for #42 in occupational therapy, #43 for nursing-anesthesia, #60 for public health, in addition to about a dozen other rankings. What’s more, students at Loma Linda can take advantage of the school’s many community partnerships, giving students the chance to gain hands-on learning outside of the classroom, especially students pursuing healthcare professions. The school offers global outreach programs, too.

California Baptist University

California Baptist University is a private institution with associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs offered in Riverside as well as at the school’s San Bernardino campus. Several online programs are available, as well. CBU’s recent 2021 rankings from U.S. News and World Report include #23 in a list of best colleges for veterans and #25 in a list of schools that offer the best value. Plus, U.S. News has declared CBU is the #40 regional university in the western United States. 

CBU has a beautiful campus that is situated in a historic part of Riverside, just minutes away from beaches and the mountains, too. In addition to state-of-the-art learning facilities, the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building is considered to have some of the most advanced music recording and production technology in the nation. Plus, CBU is one of the few schools in the region to offer architecture and engineering programs.

University of Redlands

The University of Redlands is a private institution that has been educating students in the liberal arts since 1907. The curriculum encourages students to gain a complete understanding of the world around them. So class sizes are kept small so that students have the chance to get to know their professors and fellow students, who come from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds.

However, the faculty and staff at the University of Redlands believe that every student deserves a top-notch education, regardless of their socio-economic status. Therefore, more than 90% of students receive financial aid, either through scholarships or grants. Plus, the school’s Redlands Promise ensures that all students have a guaranteed opportunity to graduate from their undergraduate studies in four years. This promise is just one demonstration of RU’s commitment to the academic success of its students.

U.S. News has recently ranked RU as the #5 regional university in the west.

University of California, Riverside

And finally, at the top of the list, the University of California has a highly-rated campus in Riverside. In fact, in 2021, the school was included in several rankings by U.S. News and World Reports, including #1 for social mobility, a tie for #34 among the top public schools, #42 among the most innovative schools, and #88 in a list of national universities. UC-Riverside is known for delivering academic excellence and high levels of research, yet it still remains an affordable option for college students.

Because of these many strengths, UC-Riverside is considered to be the fastest-rising university in the country. 

Additionally, the faculty and students have an entrepreneurial spirit that drives innovative teaching and encourages interdisciplinary collaborations. For example, two faculty members have won Nobel Prizes, and 13 others are members of the prestigious National Academies of Science and Medicine, an honor only bestowed on the top professors in their respective fields.

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U of M brings to the city not only a premier sports team but also museums and theaters. Music lovers can see folk and rock concerts at The Ark and classical performances at the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. Those hoping to enjoy live performances can visit the Ann Arbor Civic Theater, the Arbor Opera Theater, or the Performance Network Theater, to say nothing of the city’s annual Shakespeare in the Arb celebrations. 

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library collects the writings of the 38th president, while the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum lets children play and learn about science and technology. Throw in vibrant shopping, from bookstores to boutique shops to restaurants offering every type of cuisine, and Ann Arbor reveals itself as a wonderful place to live. 

Without a doubt, many of these amenities exist because of the University of Michigan’s presence. But U of M isn’t the only college in town. There are four other fine institutions of higher learning in Ann Arbor, making the city the perfect town for college students of any type.

Here are five of the best colleges in, or near, Ann Arbor, MI. 

Washtenaw Community College

Established in 1965, Washtenaw Community College serves 20,000 students from over 100 countries. While nearly half of WCC’s student body falls in the 18-24 range, the rest come from all walks of life, from retirees looking to finish their education to adults training to start a new career. 

WCC is particularly proud of its work with veterans. In 2012, the school opened the Wadhams Veterans Center, which supports former soldiers in their studies and helps active-duty service members transition into college.  

The Wadhams Veterans Center is the clearest example of WCC’s desire to be a learner-centered and open-door college. The school puts students first by making education accessible to as many people as possible and supporting learners in all of their educational endeavors. For that reason, WCC embarks on community programs, in which they partner with local businesses to help them improve their workforce. They also prioritize staff development, unceasingly working to further train and educate their faculty and administration. 

This approach has helped WCC train some impressive alumni, including Catherine Hadley, who transferred to the University of Michigan and won a Truman Scholarship. WCC’s efforts have also earned the school support in the form of financial awards, such as a recent $23 thousand grant for their HVAC program. 

Cleary University

A private business school founded in 1883, Cleary University provides each student personalized attention. They achieve this goal with small classes that have a 13:1 student to faculty ratio and by offering 100% of their courses in an online format. 

The university focuses its unique business arts curriculum around a principle it calls “The Cleary Mind.” Unlike most business programs, which focus solely on issues such as marketing and accounting, The Cleary Mind emphasizes “intangible but highly important disciplines to fully understand the way humans function in the marketplace and anticipate the needs and demands of the modern world through business innovation.” Those disciplines include courses in philosophy and human relations, which prepare students to be good people, not just good business people. 

Students can learn these qualities either by studying online or by taking advantage of Cleary’s fully appointed 50-acre campus. In addition to enjoying wrestling, football, and other athletic events involving the Cleary Cougars, students can study in first-class buildings such as the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE).

As this description demonstrates, Clear strives to train people ready to meet the business challenges of the 21^st century. They’re ready to meet people where they are and bring the tools and resources to them. With this training, Cleary graduates improve the economy and culture of Ann Arbor and the rest of the country. 

Concordia University

While technically a satellite campus of Concordia University Wisconsin, Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA) is an impressive school in its own right. Although only 25% of the students identify as Lutheran, the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod affiliated school offers the full liberal arts experience from a Christian perspective, with 72% crediting CUAA as central in their spiritual formation. 

These numbers speak to the success of CUAA’s mission, to “students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world.” While reaching back through its religious tradition, CUAA looks forward with confidence. The school offers degrees in a wide range of fields, ranging from the expected (English, Mathematics, Theater) and the surprising (Digital Humanities, Sport and Entertainment Business). 

In addition to its full traditional athletics department, Concordia features an esports program and even provides scholarships to those who excel in certain games.  

CUAA’s approach has led to notable successes in numerous fields. In March 2021, the CUAA Community Orchestra and CUAA Wind Ensemble were both chosen as semi-finalists in the national American Prize competition. 

As these details reveal, CUAA is not just a satellite of a larger university. Rather, it’s a full-fledged university with its own culture and goals, all of which have made its graduates leaders in the 21^st century. 

Eastern Michigan University 

Based in nearby Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University (EMU) is a tier-2 research university with a long history of graduating leaders in every conceivable field. Wheelock College president Jackie Jenkins-Scott, cartoonist Dave Coverly, and CEO Ron Campbell of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning are just a few of the impressive alumni who studied at EMU. 

Since its founding as the Michigan State Normal School in 1853, EMU has made a name for itself as one of the state’s best public universities. The school offers more than 200 undergraduate majors and 150 graduate programs, serving over 16,000 students. The university continues to build on this proud tradition by expanding exceptional online programs, including international marketing, educational psychology, and many more. 

These programs have earned EMU accolades from major publications. The Princeton Review placed the university’s graduate program in entrepreneurship within the top 50 in the nation and gave EMU 18^th place on its list of the best school in the Midwest. U.S. News & World Report placed EMU’s integrated marketing communication program 60^th in the nation and second in the state. 

With a 74.1% acceptance rate, EMU seems like an easy school to enter. But that high acceptance rate should not be viewed as a weakness. By bringing in as many qualified students as possible, EMU creates a diverse and dynamic student body, building a campus that reflects the complex world we live in. 

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 

U of M may be a public state school, but it is also a tier-one research university, rivaling even Ivy League schools in academic excellence. With an endowment worth over $12.4 billion, Michigan has more money than most schools in the country. In addition to former American President Gerald Ford, the school has been affiliated with 53 winners of the MacArthur Genius Grant, 26 Nobel Laureates, and numerous public officials. 

Despite ranking among the top 25 colleges in the U.S., the University of Michigan is not among the most exclusive. An astounding 14,833 students were accepted in 2019, which is undoubtedly a lot. However, 64,972 people applied that year, meaning only 23% made it in. 

To be sure, that’s a small percentage, and most consider U of M to be a highly selective school. However, the university tends to admit more students than other schools of its caliber. The University of Southern California, which shares 24^th place in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of National Universities, has an acceptance rate of only 11%. Likewise, 23^rd ranked Georgetown University accepts only 14% of its students. 

By being selective, U of M can build its reputation as an elite school (thereby raising the value of its diplomas) and maintain a small faculty-to-student ratio. But accepting more students than other high-level universities, Michigan can have more diversity on its campus.

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Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, Boston University, and Tufts are some of the schools that attract students and faculty from the far corners of the world. With such a far reach, these colleges often overshadow other fantastic schools in and around the metropolitan Boston area, which includes Waltham, Cambridge, Brookline, Somerville, Medford, Milton, Quincy, and Newton.

These areas are home to hidden gem schools that provide many of the same internship opportunities and vibrant city life as the top schools, but without the extreme acceptance rates. Students get a top-tier education in exchange for less application stress.

These schools also give undergraduates valuable technical and professional opportunities that boost their prospects in terms of employability and salary.

Students enjoy a world-class education in the heart of Boston without the intense competitiveness of more popular Boston schools, and yet they graduate with equally competitive skills and experiences. Students can explore a mix of technical programs and liberal arts curricula, as well as a plethora of academic and career-related organizations and clubs.

So if you’re looking for a great school in this iconic city, consider the following 10 hidden gems.

Wentworth Institute of Technology (Boston, MA)

For students interested in gaining practical experience and being hired immediately following graduation, Wentworth is worth a serious look.

In 2019, 97% of students were hired or enrolled in graduate school within six months after graduation. The median salary for alumni with at least 10 years of experience is $112,700.

The institute offers 22 bachelor’s and 12 master’s degrees in engineering, computer science, design, and management. Undergraduates are required to complete two semesters of cooperative education in work placements, applying classroom lessons to the real world. Wentworth’s technical curriculum ensures that students are equipped with the necessary skills to succeed in their preferred industry.

Notable alumni Russell Colley was a NASA engineer and inventor who created the silver nylon suits used in the first manned space mission, Project Mercury.

Lasell University (Newton, MA)

Lasell is notable for connecting 100% of their students with at least one internship over the course of their college career. Many do more, gaining hands-on experience at leading businesses and research organizations.

It’s all part of the school’s integrated Connected Learning program. This takes the form of internships, but also service-learning, studying abroad, and a tuition-reducing professional track called Lasell Works.

Starting in sophomore year, Lasell Works prepares students for their chosen career through online courses, professional work experience, and faculty mentoring. Students live off-campus and are immersed early in their chosen field so that they graduate better-prepared and less indebted than their peers from other schools.

Lasell is well-known for its excellent fashion program, offering majors in fashion design & production, fashion media & marketing, and fashion merchandising & management. Fashion majors put together the annual Lasell Fashion Show, from the runway fashions themselves to the event promo. Fashion model and actress Nancy Donahue is a famous alum.

Curry College (Milton, MA)

Curry College started as a school of elocution in 1879, and to this day, it is still a revered school to study the written and spoken word.

The department of communication is highly renowned, as it sponsors two award-winning media outlets: non-commercial radio station WMLN-FM 91.5, supervised by Professor Alan Frank, and TV station CC8, run by Professor Jerry Gibbs.

In 1973, Curry launched the Program for Advancement of Learning (PAL) to aid college-level students with language-based learning difficulties. PAL continues to make Curry a leader today in the field of language-related disabilities.

Curry’s School of Nursing offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as certificates. Nursing students benefit from a rigorous STEM education with the convenience of being located near downtown Boston in a liberal arts college.

Emmanuel College (Boston, MA)

Thanks to its partnership with Merck, Emmanuel is “the only college in the country with a private pharmaceutical research facility right on campus.” Merck Research Laboratories-Boston is a 300,000 square foot, 12-story center where students learn directly from pharmaceutical professionals and faculty. Emmanuel students even have the option of interning for the company.

But they aren’t limited to a Merck internship. In fact, like Lasell, the college matches 100% of its students with internship opportunities in and around Boston. The small liberal arts school’s dynamic metropolitan location makes it the perfect place for students to grow and challenge themselves.

On campus, there are a number of academic clubs and organizations, centered around subjects such as art history, psychology, STEM, history, and education.

Famous alumni include Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Mary McGrory and Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

Cambridge College (Boston, MA)

A private, nonprofit institution, Cambridge College has long been a pioneer in adult learning, with most classes offered in the evenings and geared towards those with work experience.

In fact, students applying to the graduate healthcare management program must have 3-5 years of professional experience. Other certificates and bachelor’s and master’s degree programs cover education, psychology, counseling, management, and human services.

Cambridge’s 450+ faculty members are scholar-practitioners who bring their work experiences to the classroom. 

Cambridge also runs four other regional centers in Springfield and Lawrence, Massachusetts; Rancho Cucamonga, California; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Notable faculty include four-time American Football League All-Star Larry Garron and Emmy Award winning composer Brad Hatfield, who now teaches at Berklee College of Music and Northeastern University.

Lesley University (Cambridge, MA)

Lesley University’s legacy of embracing the arts and sciences through a liberal arts education model has endured to this day.

For example, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in expressive arts therapy pave the way for students to make a difference in people’s lives as mental health counselors, hospital art therapists, grief counselors, or mindfulness coaches. In fact, Lesley is a pioneer in the field of art therapy, an interdisciplinary field that blends psychology, art, music, dance, drama, and creative writing.

The university offers 20 other bachelor’s and 90 master’s degrees. This includes a bachelor’s program for adult learners, which utilizes a hybrid education model (online and in-person classes) for maximum flexibility.

Famous alumni include Massachusetts politician Althea Garrison, Berklee College of Music faculty member Stan Strickland, and prolific cookbook author Barbara Grunes.

Emerson College (Boston, MA)

Like Curry College, Emerson began as a school of oratory in the late 19th century. Today it is still a leading liberal arts school for communication and the arts. 

In fact, Emerson is made up of two schools — the School of Communication and School of the Arts. Within them are eight departments: Marketing Communication; Communication Studies; Journalism; Communication Sciences and Disorders; Performing Arts; Writing, Literature, and Publishing; Visual and Media Arts; and Comedic Arts.

Due to its laser focus on the arts, Emerson is responsible for quite a few noteworthy productions and organizations: award-winning TV station Emerson Channel, entertainment magazine Emertainment Monthly, Emerson Dance Company, and 11 comedy troupes.

Notable alumni include Emmy-nominated actor Denis Leary, U.S. presidential advisor Suzan Johnson Cook, producer Vin Di Bona, and Tony-winning actress Andrea Martin.

Suffolk University (Boston, MA)

Sawyer Business School at Suffolk is one of the nation’s top business schools, according to Princeton Review. Suffolk Law School is also highly regarded, especially for its program in legal writing, which U.S. News ranks #4 in the country.

Suffolk is also home to research centers and organizations dedicated to a variety of fields: the Centers for Crime & Justice Policy Research, Teaching & Scholarly Excellence, Restorative Justice, and Women’s Health and Human Rights; the Moakley Center for Public Management; the Poetry Center; Political Research Centers; and the Sagan Energy Research Laboratory.

In addition to law, business, and politics, the school is dedicated to the arts, to which the campus Art Gallery is dedicated. The gallery serves as a venue to learn about Boston’s cultural heritage, present new works by local artists, and display student art.

Famous alumni include Poker Hall of Famer Dan Harrington, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joan Vennochi, and YouTube personality Jenna Marbles.

Bentley University (Waltham, MA)

Bentley is a top performer in U.S. News’s rankings of regional universities in the north: #1 overall, #2 for best value, and #4 for most innovative. 

Good student outcomes are mostly to thank — 92% of students complete at least one internship, 98% get a job or graduate school position within 6 months of graduation, and the median starting salary for a Bentley grad is over $62,000.

For those particularly interested in business or political leadership, Bentley is the place to go. Students can choose between 25 majors and 34 minors, combining their interests in business, politics, technology, and liberal arts.

Notable alumni include NFL football player turned Massachusetts governor Edward King, Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini, and former Tonight Show host Jay Leno, who attended for one semester.

Simmons University (Boston, MA)

Simmons University stands out from this list through its stellar, women-focused undergraduate program and co-ed graduate programs.

Since its founding in 1899, the university’s mission has always been to empower women through education.

Thanks to a rigorous undergraduate liberal arts curriculum, Simmons women can customize their degrees and cultivate their own unique leadership style. All undergraduates intern, conduct research, do fieldwork, or participate in clinicals, graduating with a solid foundation in their chosen professional field.

Graduate programs encompass nursing, business, communications, social work, public health, and library and information science. In the spirit of female empowerment, the Strategic Leadership for Women certificate program coaches working women on their distinct challenges and leadership issues. By the time they are certified, they will have a personalized action plan curated towards their success.

Notable alumni include fantasy author Kristin Cashore, NBC news correspondent Rehema Ellis, and computer scientist and mathematician Lenore Blum.

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