The 25 Most Diverse Schools

With nearly a quarter of its 326 students majoring in the visual or performing arts, Marlboro College in Marlboro, Vermont, is one of the best schools for artists. Founded in 1946 by a World War II vet, the school is situated on two old farms at the edge of the Green Mountains. With nearly a third of its students receiving Pell Grants (federal grants targeted toward students from low-income families) and 94 percent hailing from out of state, Marlboro comes in at No. 15 on NEWSWEEK's Most Diverse Schools list.

"Unfettered by generic course requirements," Marlboro College says each student, along with his or her advisor, develops their own course of study. As a graduation requirement, seniors must design and complete a Plan of Concentration, which is reviewed by an expert in that field. The school's mission is "to teach students to think clearly and to learn independently."

The school accepts about 70 percent of applicants and has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1. Tuition and fees for the 2009-2010 academic year was $33,660, a nearly 4 percent increase from the previous academic year.