20 Happiest Colleges (photos)

Student happiness is one of the most sought-after characteristics of four-year colleges and incoming students. To measure how well the nation’s schools are doing, we considered full-time freshman retention rate according to the National Center for Education Statistics for 25% of the methodology. For the remaining 75%, we turned to College Prowler for student ratings on the overall student experience and whether they would do it all over again, as well as the quality of the student health center.

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College Station, Texas

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 92%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.3

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 10.0

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.8

Scott Halleran/Getty

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Stanford, California

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 98%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 8.9

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.9

Paul Sakuma/AP

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Madison, Wisconsin

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 94%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.4

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.8

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.7

Jonathan Daniel/Getty

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Tallahassee, Florida

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 92%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.0

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.8

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.9

Streeter Lecka/Getty

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Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 97%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 8.8

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.8

Lance King/Replay Photos via Getty

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Gainesville, Florida

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 95%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.3

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.7

Sam Greenwood/Getty

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Provo, Utah

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 87%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.1

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.9

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Athens, Georgia

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 94%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.5

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.6

Scott Cunningham/Getty

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Austin, Texas

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 92%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.5

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.7

Ronald Martinez/Getty

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Manhattan, Kansas

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 82%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.2

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.8

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.9

Allen Holder/Kansas City Star via Getty

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Orlando, Florida

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 87%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 10

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.6

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.7

John Raoux/AP

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Columbus, Ohio

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 93%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.6

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.6

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.6

Courtesy of Ohio State University

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Blacksburg, Virginia

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 91%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 8.8

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.7

Gerald Herbert/AP

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West Lafayette, Indiana

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 90%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 8.7

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.6

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.9

Mark Simons/Purdue University

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Stillwater, Oklahoma

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 80%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.2

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.6

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 10.0

Brett Deering/Getty

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Los Angeles, California

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 97%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 8.9

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.5

Sports Studio Photos/Getty

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Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 86%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.2

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.7

Dave Martin/AP

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Bloomington, Indiana

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 89%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.4

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.7

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.5

James Brosher/AP

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University Park, Pennsylvania

Full-time Freshman Retention Rate: 92%

Best Student Health Center (score out of 10): 9.3

Best Overall Student Experience (score out of 10): 9.6

Would Do It All Over Again (score out of 10): 9.5

Rob Carr/Getty

20 Happiest Colleges (photos)

Want to know which colleges have the happiest students? The Daily Beast analyzed retention rate and student opinions to find out. Oh joy.

The Daily Beast