University/Colleges that are near nature!

blackpanther · 11-06-2009, 12:47 PM

Hello all CCers,

I have done many searches about colleges since my sopho year,
[now I'm a junior, starting to organize my college lists]

but I couldnt find enough colleges near "nature"..
meaning, near/within or surrounded by mountain(preferred), hills, fields, lots of trees..
[maybe lake, but I do not like the heavy moisty air during summer..]

I dont want the colleges to be in 100% rural area, but I would really appreciate if they were in more like suburban area. I want to feel the nature as I am in college, learning.

I already have read the "colleges near mountain" thread, but the only colleges appealed
to me were Whitman and one in Colorado... I think it was western colorado of.. something.

So far thoes two are the only ones in my college list.

I need more; were there any college that gave you beautiful nature feeling?

blackpanther · 11-06-2009, 12:50 PM

oh, and I dont have the best GPA or took all AP& Honors classes; I'm just an average student.

However I can tell you that I will get at least 32 on my ACT by end of my junior year,
and GPA higher than 3.2

+ few honor classes (2 ~3)

tk21769 · 11-06-2009, 01:42 PM

The one in Colorado you mean may be Colorado College. It's likely to appeal to someone who likes Whitman.

Colorado College is not in a 100% rural area. In fact, this is one of its unusual qualities. It's in a small city, close to restaurants, shops, etc., but the city is in a spectacular mountain setting.

There are other schools that might fit your description, particularly some of the small liberal arts colleges in New England. However, many of these are even more selective than Whitman and Colorado (which already are reaches for a 3.2 average, especially without lots of AP/IB, but they do take the whole picture into account.) ACT 32 is a decent score for Whitman or CC.

pierre0913 · 11-06-2009, 01:44 PM

Clemson University and Virginia Tech are located in the Blue Ridge Mountains and there are plenty of outdoor activities. Clemson is on the shores of Lake Hartwell and is surrounded by a couple thousand acres of forests called the Clemson Experimental Forest where there are numerous hiking trails.

midmo · 11-06-2009, 01:48 PM

Missoula, MT, home to University of Montana, is ringed by mountains. Lots of hiking close to town, a river runs through the town, next to campus, and rafting outfitters are located near campus. The university maintains an excellent outdoors recreation outfitting office. Cross-country ski trails are not far.

The student body is outdoorsy and active.

The campus is not rural, as it is in town. Missoula is a college town, with an unusually nice downtown for a small town.

johnwesley · 11-06-2009, 01:49 PM

you can't get much closer than this:
Hawk vs. Squirrel: a photo series – Wesleying

BobbyCT · 11-06-2009, 01:56 PM

It would be hard to get as much nature as Sewanee, aka The University of the South. Check out their web site for pictures of their campus.

blackpanther · 11-06-2009, 03:17 PM

first of all, I would like to thank every suggestion posted here.

however I do have to say except Whitman, all the colleges here are .... pretty large.
[and dont get me wrong, I checked them on google image- they are all breathtaking]

I'm afraid that I would get lost when I get there or so
and I dont want to be treated as a number (my biggest concern so far)

any ideas/thoughts/advices? T_T

BobbyCT · 11-06-2009, 03:21 PM

Sewanee is small, less than 1800 students

mom2sons · 11-06-2009, 03:36 PM

Although the Claremont Colleges are suburban, the campuses are beautiful and the mountains behind them are majestic when the air is clear. Within 15 minutes, you can be up in the mountains. Within an hour, the beach. There is a very pretty botanic garden within the complex.

Each college is fairly small, so you are not just a number. Each college also has its own personality and look.

gadad · 11-06-2009, 03:37 PM

You want small . . . you like mountains . . . slightly above average student?

Berry College in Rome, GA has the largest college campus in the world because it encompasses all of Mount Berry + environs. And it's breathtaking. Check it out:

Berry College: Philanthropy In The Mountains, Rome, Georgia

johnwesley · 11-06-2009, 04:07 PM

A 32 ACT would be fine for Wesleyan (~2700 u/g) -- not a slam-dunk by any means, but, enough to be a credible applicant. Are you from the West or SW?

pierre0913 · 11-06-2009, 04:29 PM

what about UNC-Asheville or St. Mary's College of Maryland. UNC-Asheville is a good public liberal arts school (cheap) and is right next to the Great Smoky Mountains. St. Mary's College of Maryland is basically on the Chesapeake Bay and is in a beautiful area.

RSBuletz · 11-06-2009, 04:37 PM

Humboldt State?

Video: A Better World Starts in the Redwoods • Humboldt State University

IBclass06 · 11-06-2009, 04:38 PM

gadad and BobbyCT beat me to it; Berry and Sewanee were the first two I thought of.

Bard and Warren Wilson would certainly be worth a look. Maybe Colby and Washington & Lee.

EDIT: I also agree with pierre's suggestion of UNCA. While that section of the Blue Ridge mountains is not nearly as nice as that surrounding WCU or even ASU, UNCA is a lot smaller than either.