The 25 Most Desirable Small Schools

Founded in 1861, Vassar College often finds itself ranked among the best liberal arts colleges in the country; Newsweek places this formerly all-women's college, widely known for its progressive culture, as the 15th most desirable small school in the country as well as among the best gay-friendly schools.  
 
Though only 75 miles north of New York City, Vassar's scenic Hudson Valley campus in Poughkeepsie, New York, is situated on 1,000 acres of manicured lawns, gardens, meadows and woodlands. The school's thriving campus life (about 98 percent of students live on campus) offers more than 100 organizations and clubs and around 1,650 campus events every year--from performances, workshops, events and internationally renowned lecturers. One of the original Seven Sisters colleges, Vassar claims several influential alumnae in the arts, science, business and law, including Poet Laureate Elizabeth Bishop (the library holds a special collection of her work), Crystal Eastman (co-author of the Equal Rights Amendment), and Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep.   
 
With fewer than 2,500 students, the school selects only 25% of its applicants and its students average 32 on the ACTs and 1460 on the SATs. A quarter of its undergraduates are students of color, while international students make up about 8 percent of its student body. The current female-to-male ratio is about 6:4.