What is the “best” college? It’s up to yourself and your major, but no one knows until they are
there. Editors Sean and Vinh have knocked out the part by visiting the colleges in person.
Specifically, we have investigated some of the top destinations for colleges. Whether you want
close or far, big or small, or anything in between, we’ve got you covered. We’ll give you the
aspects of community, education, and culture while giving you our perspectives. Sean took the
top three colleges and Vinh took the bottom three, and with that, the first college is…
Ohio University
Ohio University, known for its beautiful campus is situated in southern Ohio, Athens. The
picturesque buildings on a hill are in a Georgian architectural style. The brick facade and
blending in with the town of Athens is OU’s mainstay. They feature a mix of modern and
historical buildings that cater to all the students’ needs. While I was not there to see the student
life, I heard that it is quite lively, and a fun experience. Other than their major party scene, they
boast very nice facilities, up to date with other colleges. Ohio University is a D1 school and has
a culture centered around its sports program, where it dominates the MAC conference.
Other than culture and a facade, you may be wondering what academics are like at this school.
They are a relatively rigorous program that is focused on being good at the arts, communication,
business, and education. While they are good in these majors their engineering program leaves
a bit to be desired compared to other schools. If you are interested in challenging yourself they
have a very nice Honors program which will offer numerous benefits.
Overall this school is a 6.93/10 and a typical option for us Eds students. They are average to
above average in most facets of college life, and the price, being in-state tuition, is just another
nice added touch.
Dayton University
Dayton University, obviously located in Dayton, Ohio boasts a rigorous academic/engineering
program that has enticed many of our fellow students before. They are a medium-sized school,
that hones in on helping the individual student. The campus, while being smaller than some of
the others on this list, is still a beautiful site. Everything there looks pristine, and clean with a
very simple layout that is easy to navigate. There is not much to critique about their appearance,
but something I will say is that the building style is very type A. They are very much so just brick
exterior, and if you go there be prepared to see that style everywhere. The main cultural point of
Dayton University, to me, is the fact that they are sports and religion-based. They are a
Marianist college focused on faith at every corner of the campus.
Now to talk about the Education that Dayton offers. They are very focused on the engineering
major. For most students who go there they seem to have an interest in engineering fields, or
related fields like math and science. The college buildings and facilities cater to this focus well,
and you will never be disappointed by the learning experience.
This school, to me, garners a 7.89/10. They have a great academic program, but they seem
almost too focused on that aspect of the academic fields, so they lack presence in the others. I
would also say that they didn’t have a major wow to me, but for others, I have heard some very
positive reviews.
University of Michigan
I am a very big Ohio State fan, so I hate to admit it but as a student, you have to go visit the
University of Michigan. The campus is a nice blend of modern facilities and architecture, mixed
with older, more historical sites. While this may not be a positive to all, the University of
Michigan is located in the heart of Ann Arbor. It is a bustling city when school is in session. The
connection between school and city means you get a larger city’s amenities right at your front
door. U of M is also known for its sporting programs. The culture that surrounds the school is
that of pride in their great sporting abilities, particularly in football.
The academics at the University of Michigan are only surpassed by Ivy League schools. They
boast many colleges that will tailor to a student’s interests, but most of all the rigor and access
to world-class teachers is a drawing factor. U of M is known especially for its state-of-the-art
engineering program, but it also excels in other offshoots of engineering especially in its college
of Language, arts, and Science.
While I can understand that there is a lot of bias against U of M at our school, their academic
and student life programs are some of the best in the Midwest region and country. Only rivaled
by Ivy League schools I would have to rate them a 8.73/10. The blend of culture and academics
intrigues me, and the fact that they are not as stingy as say an Ivy League school while still
having high academic standards makes it appealing for a lot of reasons. Before writing it off
because of personal ties, I would recommend going to check it out.
Ohio State University
You’ve heard of it. I’ve heard of it. We’ve all heard of it. The Ohio State University. Considered a
dream school for most and a must-apply for all, Ohio State has garnered a reputation as the
best public university in Ohio. Its dominance in most major sports and the vicinity of Columbus
has pushed it from a meh school in the early 20th century to a must-attend school. With a
combination of a rich history and a super large campus, the school is a must-visit. The mixed
blend of diversity, sports, and culture welcomes an inviting environment.
Ohio State University’s academics have gotten much better than a generation ago. Professors
often wish to teach at Ohio State, which allows students to get one of the best educations in the
country. With US News ranking OSU as the 15th best public university and 41st best university
in the nation, neglecting this college would be unwise. The highest-ranking majors at OSU are
Engineering, Business, and Nursing.
I’ve always been a Buckeye fan and do have a bias towards this school. Social life, football, and
studies have all been raised to another level at Ohio State. Anyone coming to this school will
leave with long-lasting relationships and groups they fit in. Ranking this university as a whole, I
would see it as 8.23/10. There could be drawbacks to being such a large university, but the
positives of OSU outweigh the negatives.
Stanford
The first of the two California schools is known as the best. Situated in the California climate,
Stanford is right next to Silicon Valley, which provides great internship opportunities. In fact, this
school is the size of more than 20 Disney World theme parks — it is gigantic. Known as a law
school, it features a lot of majors that can attract students from all over the world. Its athletics
are also well-known. Christian McCafferty, Tiger Woods, and other esteemed athletes have
gone to this college. A thing that is a pain is once again the walking and bus stops, but is found
in most colleges.
Stanford is considered the best for education and many college rankings reflect that. US News
ranks this college as 4th best university in the nation. This beats the likes of Duke,
Northwestern, and Yale, among others. As with most of the top universities, Stanford is known
for majors like computer science, engineering, and business. However, these majors shouldn’t
be considered as a mainstay since most majors offered at Stanford are ranked in the top 10 in
the country.
Community isn’t as important here as most people are focused on education rather than the
communal aspect. The environment and ambiance, though, are the best of the best. For that
and the reasons above, I’d rate this university an 8.43/10.
University of California-Berkeley
The final California school on this list is as well-known as any other top university. Combined
with the beauty of the campus and communal culture, this school is world-renowned for the nature on campus. Situated in a suburb of Oakland with a large Asian population, California
Berkeley has a very brotherhood-like culture. The college is situated on a hill, making walking a
lot harder to get to classes, but it adds to the beauty of the college.
US News rates this college as the 2nd best public school and the 17th-best school in the nation.
With education this good and success found throughout Berkeley’s history, considering this
college—although ambitious—will do many things for a future job. For those considering STEM,
Berkeley offers the best engineering and computer science programs in the country.
Contrasting with the cold and variable north of Ohio, Berkeley has a very warm
climate—allowing for outdoor activities almost every day. Overall, I would rate this school an
8.44/10.
Conclusion
The colleges that we have listed above are just a few examples of colleges that you may look at
as potential options. More than just the money or travel time involved in going to a college, you
should consider the culture that surrounds the school, the academic rigor, and if it is a school
that you believe you can get into. There is no one answer to “What is the best college?”
because it is all up to personal interpretation. For me having a school with academic rigor, good
sports, and being relatively close are musts, but for Vinh, those standards could be completely
different. The college admissions and visiting process is strenuous and at times too much to
handle, but at the end of the day the more colleges you see the better of an idea that you get as
to what you want in your ideal college. We wish you the best of luck in your exploration of
college.
