@juillet - I’d be wary about using Hillel’s college search, as the info isn’t very accurate or helpful, especially for Orthodox/observant/religious students. As for the bestcolleges list: it’s not the top 50 colleges with active Jewish communities, but rather their top 50 academically ranked colleges, and then it tells you a little something about their Jewish life – so I wouldn’t recommend that at all. If you want accurate info and rankings, check out http://theheart2heartproject.org/map
I did a search on the site listed above. Here are schools that have a minimum of 50 self-reported Orthodox students: University of Pennsylvania
New York University
Columbia / Barnard
Brandeis
University of Maryland - College Park
Rutgers University
Cornell University
CUNY - Queens College
SUNY Binghamton
University of Michigan
Boston University
Cooper Union
University of California - Los Angeles
Harvard
Yeshiva University
McGill
York
UMass - Amherst
University of Toronto
Stern College for Women
CUNY - Brooklyn
The 50 number was arbitrary, but I feel that any campus with numbers below that would not have a real sense of community for an Orthodox student. Muhlenberg has 10 Orthodox students reported. Goucher even fewer. To me, that indicates that it is not a real community and in any year can disappear.
Ok, i’ll bite. I’m going to take exception to HartLevine’s characterization of a resource for “religious Jews” referring tot he heart2heart project. Plenty of Jews are religious without being Orthodox!
On another note: i have no idea how any of these sites can claim to know the percentage of Jews on campus. Unless they take the number of students reported to attend Hillel or other Jewish organizations and then extrapolate some number off of that.
With the exception of UCLA, UMass and the Canadian universities, I have visited all of the other campuses that are on the list above, and while I was not taking count or judging whether one is “religious” if they are of a non-Orthodox denomination, I will say that from visiting Hillels and seeing the student body, there was a definite Orthodox presence at all the schools above. I can also say that in several visits to schools like Goucher and Muhlenberg, I never saw Orthodox students despite there being a substantial Jewish population.
I am certainly not judging peoples level of religiousness…believe me I would fail miserably! But as someone raised in Brooklyn and surrounded by Jews of all kinds, I am pretty good at recognizing Orthodox students.
Just because there is kosher food, or a large numbers of Jews, it does not mean that the campus offers a daily minyan that is Orthodox (girls don’t count) and a large enough base of students to make the OP feel comfortable because she is part of a like-minded group.
@rjkofnovi No problem, just clarifying. 
@jym626 No- are there good options? I’ve been to Toronto once, so I don’t really know what’s in Canada.
@hs2015mom I will do so once I can sit down with my parents. It’s kind of hectic right now and I haven’t had a chance to talk to them.
@uskoolfish The Hillel kitchen is unsupervised, but they claim to have two kitchens that are supervised. That indicates to me a level of observance I’d be good with, but I could be wrong (never having done this before).
@SlitheyTove Obviously I’ll have to work out a plan so that I concentrate on the schools I really want to go to (and could if I got in). You’re right that there are a lot of colleges on my list; I think that I’m going to end up having to cut quite a few of them just because of time constraints. Do you have a suggestion for a way to search?
@uskoolfish Thank you, that’s really helpful. I’ll show that to the people helping me (a strange number of family members have taken an interest and they know a ton more about this stuff than I do.)
@SDonCC I personally identify as Modern Orthodox- regardless of religiousness, that’s the denomination I need a community of. But yeah, Charedim, Chassidim, some Conservative people and I’m sure more I’m not thinking of can be extremely religious to the point that some of them wouldn’t consider me frum. It’s not just Orthodox people.
@uskoolfish Enough students for a daily minyan is definitely important. I would never remember to daven otherwise. To be honest, I don’t go to minyan daily now, so I could do without, but I want to become more religious throughout college rather than less.
I personally can’t tell denominations on site terribly well, but apparently lots of people can (twice this week random strangers have asked me what temple I go to), so I’ll trust you. That’s useful information, thank you.
I am having a bit of a stressful home situation at the moment, so I might be delayed in responding. Sorry about that in advance.
Sidenote: Do Modern Orthodox let women daven/make minyan? I consider myself regular Orthodox (between Modern and Charedim) so from my experience I didn’t understand what you’re saying.
I will second SlitheyTove’s suggestion to post on the Jewish B student thread. There are a large number of parents who have information on several colleges. Even if many of us are not frum, we may be aware of what is available on campuses for Jewish students.
I think it is easier to find several “best fit” colleges when there are the least conditions that can narrow the available choices. We all narrow down choices according to cost, grades, major, location, college size and so on. In some cases, where the conditions make the number of choices small, it then comes down to prioritizing the conditions and aiming for best fit under the circumstances. So, for instance, someone with low grades and great financial need will have more limited choices than someone with the same grades and little financial need.
In your situation, I see two important conditions to consider: orthodox Judaism and finances. To consider all your possible choices, I think it may serve you well to look out of the box- for instance a college that may not have an on site orthodox community, but one nearby, or one in walking distance. Such a community may be quite happy to house you for Shabbat and there could be Kosher food available nearby. Although colleges tend to hold students to meal plans, I have known of exceptions in the case of severe food allergies, where students can live in a situation with a kitchen. There could be the possibility of making an exception for you as well.
Although you are not Chabad, in some smaller Jewish communities the Chabad on campus is more inclusive and diverse than a community large enough for denominations to have their own groups. A college such as Brandeis offers students a choice to participate in whatever denomination they wish. In very small communities, the Chabad incorporates the entire range of denominations. Any food consumed is done at their homes, and surely they would know where Kosher food is available as they require it themselves. Contacting them about any colleges may be informative to you.
One alternative is if there are any colleges near you that you might commute to, for at least some of the years of college. Of course, don’t only consider this- apply to the colleges you are interested in, but if this is a possible option, then include those colleges.
Your school may appreciate bragging rights, but they don’t pay the bills. Of course, apply to these colleges if there is a chance of acceptance and affordability, but do not discount an affordable college on the basis of prestige alone. Some not so well known colleges may be good opportunities for you.
If finances were not a concern, I think some choices would be wide open, however, you, like many other students have this consideration and might benefit from some creative ideas. Posting this on the Jewish B student thread might result in some suggestions.
@Hamotron I did a search and this came up–I think it will be a very helpful guide.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Jewish_student_groups_at_secular_universities
I think one of the things you need to contend with is that while the Orthodox community does go to secular schools, students tend to go to schools where other Orthodox students already go. And it is not necessarily schools that have typically large Jewish communities of other denominations. There is some overlap, of course, but just because a school is showing up on a Hillel list of schools with large Jewish populations, does not mean it is Orthodox.
I also second going to the Jewish B student thread. There may be some Orthodox students/parent son there.