Article provided by The Princeton Review
A busy student is a happy student! The happiest students are those who have found their place in a college that meets their academic and social needs, leaving them with so many activities that there's just not enough time in the day to be homesick or stressed. The Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 college students for "The Best 368 Colleges: 2009 Edition" revealed the top 10 schools with the happiest students. Read excerpts from the students’ responses to the survey below.
A busy student is a happy student! The happiest students are those who have found their place in a college that meets their academic and social needs, leaving them with so many activities that there's just not enough time in the day to be homesick or stressed. The Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 college students for "The Best 368 Colleges: 2009 Edition" revealed the top 10 schools with the happiest students. Read excerpts from the students’ responses to the survey below.
Article provided by The Princeton Review A busy student is a happy student! The happiest students are those who have found their place in a college that mee... more
UNRANKED
CURRENT SCORE
less stats more stats5.67
Rank (best ever) 45
Score (all time) 1157.00
Created 07/29/08
Views 1107
Votes [disabled]
1
Clemson University
Clemson, S.C.
"Clemson students approach life 'Southern style': We're pretty laid-back, we like to have a good time, we work hard and we have pride." "Clemson football and tailgating are the most amazing experiences of college," most Clemson undergrads agree. The city of Clemson, "a town completely devoted to the school," "comes to a complete stop for games, which is great." The surrounding area offers plenty in the way of outdoor activity, as Lake Hartwell borders the campus. "We're about a half hour from great hiking and mountain biking, and the weather is great most of the time, so we spend a lot of time outdoors." Students who considered Clemson also looked at Duke University, University of Georgia and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
2
Brown University
Providence, R.I.
Known for its somewhat unconventional (but still highly regarded) approaches to life and learning, Brown University and its open-minded environment allows students "to practice passion without shame or fear of judgment." Unsurprisingly, everyone here's "very smart," as well as "very quirky and often funny," and "a great amount are brilliant and passionate about their interests"; "Most have interesting stories to tell." People here "think about life, politics, society at large, global affairs, the state of the economy, developing countries, animals, plants, rocket science, math, poker, each other, sex, sexuality, the human experience, gender studies, what to do with our lives, etc.," says a senior anthropology major. Students who considered Brown also looked at Harvard College, Stanford University, Yale University and Princeton University.
3
Princeton University
Princeton, N.J.
"Princeton is a lifestyle, not a school," says a junior. Perhaps you might have heard something about Princeton, a "little suburban oasis in New Jersey," proffering a storied history, a high profile academic curriculum, and stellar financial aid policies, all of which combine to provide "an experience and a network that will transform your life." People at Princeton really use the "work hard, play hard" logic. "Academic discipline is on everyone's mind," but on any given day, "there are so many interesting events being coordinated by students and the university" that everyone here is "always running from one commitment to the next, and studying in between." But students make plenty of time on weekends for fun, "often at the expense of studying or sleeping." There's "never a dull moment," "thanks to lectures, concerts, sporting events, performances and movies." "The best of everything is here…you're at the center of the world in a very real sense." Students who considered Princeton also looked at Harvard College, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University.
4
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, Calif.
It's almost awkward the way students at Claremont McKenna College gush about their "pragmatic" little liberal arts school. "There is no better place to come to college," promises a sophomore. CMC's campus is "constantly abuzz with activity." There are so many events around the Claremont campuses "that you constantly have to sacrifice one for another." On the whole, though, "people at CMC party." They also "know how to manage their time well" because, in addition to all the diversions, there are "bundles of work." "Food is good and healthy, dorms are big and spacious, and the campus is always green and sunny." "People are always outside." Students who considered Claremont McKenna also looked at Pomona College, Pitzer College, Occidental College, Whitman College and University of California -- Berkeley.
5
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
Needham, Mass.
A popular saying used to describe student life at Olin goes like this: "Choose two: work, sleep, fun." The majority of students choose the first and the last because "an Oliner at rest is an unhappy Oliner." The school's "small size" and "open atmosphere that's supportive of everyone" are very appealing to the approximately 300 undergraduates on campus. But the pièce de résistance -- the thing that has students choosing this place over schools like MIT and Caltech -- has got to be the "free tuition." And as it is at every one of the many colleges in the greater Beantown area, "going into Boston for events" is a popular pastime here, too. Concerning the more mundane details of day-to-day life on campus, students are pleased. The dorms are "nice and warm" and "the food is amazing." In sum, a live-and-let-live philosophy is pervasive. "People are allowed to have their own passions and opinions so long as they have passions and opinions." Students who considered Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering also looked at Harvard College, Cornell University, University of California -- Berkeley, Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
6
Stanford University
Stanford, Calif.
Students insist that Stanford is "the most amazing school in the country, with a great mix of academics, athletics and weather," and it's hard to argue with them. The school really does offer it all to the laid-back-but-ambitious crowd lucky enough to receive an invite to attend; as one student puts it, "Stanford essentially disproves the theorem that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." Indeed, "It would be easy to be at Stanford, not take classes and still be busy." Students who considered Stanford also looked at Harvard College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University.
7
University of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
"Community is probably the first word that comes to the majority of the student body's minds," agree most of the students we surveyed at UD. While it may "sound really cheesy," undergrads insist that "everyone is family here" and that "you are welcome from the very moment you step onto campus." Nowhere is this more apparent than in the student neighborhood, in which "porch sitting is a must on sunny days." One student explains, "Porches are symbolic of UD. Everyone sits out on their porch. It's one huge neighborhood where everyone is welcome to party or to chill." Complete strangers help each other all the time, and everyone says hi to one another." Most students are laid-back, down-to-earth, and fun, yet they know how to get down to business and study." Students who considered University of Dayton also looked at University of Notre Dame, Saint Louis University, Marquette University, Miami University, John Carroll University and The Ohio State University -- Columbus.
8
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine
Students here reap the benefits of "a close-knit community of learners, teachers and leaders pursuing academics, athletics, music, art, clubs and fun with relentless positive enthusiasm" in "a very nurturing and safe environment, [where] you can develop without worrying about stuff you don't need to worry about." Students love how Bowdoin "embraces the intellectual experience in a balanced, healthy way," so that its students are generally very happy. Extracurriculars are part of the constant learning; students here are "always doing at least one if not 10 things at a time." Physical activity is part of the mix; many students participate in Outing Club events, hiking, and whitewater kayaking and rafting at nearby parks. "It seems like almost everyone is on a sports team, so during the week most people find a release there." Students who considered Bowdoin also looked at Bates College, Middlebury College, Amherst College, Colby College and Brown University.
9
The College of New Jersey
Ewing, N.J.
Students at The College of New Jersey believe they've found "the best way to get private school education for public school cost." To hear them tell it, The College of New Jersey "is the total package," with "a beautiful campus, great location, top-notch faculty, the newest technology, an interested student body and competitive sports teams." The campus "is gorgeous, with tree-lined paths and brick buildings in the Georgian Colonial style." Of course, location also allows for "constant trips running to New York City and other off-campus destinations. Honestly, sometimes it's hard to say no to some of the stuff going on in order to get some work done." Students are able to balance their 18-credit workload and "still have time to blow some steam off on the weekends." The school attracts a reasonable cross section of personality types; one student explains, "Everyone basically does their own thing, and it's generally just accepted." Students who considered The College of New Jersey also looked at University of Delaware, New York University, Rowan University and Lehigh University.
10
Tulane University
New Orleans, La.
Tulane, "the ultimate work hard, play hard school" whose strong academics and laid-back approach make it the place where all the "cool, smart kids" go, is a place that inspires the type of student devotion rarely found at schools that lack powerhouse sports programs. Tulane students love exploring New Orleans, a city full of "art galleries and museums," "amazing" shopping on Magazine Street, "family-owned restaurants in the uptown area," "touristy" places in the French Quarter, and "a lot [of] different bars near campus." The city also boasts an "unparalleled music scene." Tulane undergrads point out that the school is "one of the most geographically diverse schools in the country," observing that "75 percent of the students come from more than 500 miles away." "Everyone here manages to find [his or her] own little niche." Students who considered Tulane also looked at Vanderbilt University, Duke University and Emory University.
[source: https://spotlight.encarta.msn.com/Features/encnet_Departments_College_default_article_Top10HappiestStudents09.html ]
Not watching this list (get updates on this list).
(all people watching this list)
).
MORE LISTS
Top Ten Male Baby Names in Wyoming for 2003
RECOMMENDED LISTS
COMMENTS
