Please Join Me in Ogling These Pics of the Most Beautiful College Campuses
It’s unclear what the fall semester will look like. But what I do know? These schools are major eye candy.
It goes without saying that when you’re deciding where to apply for college, there are about eighty million important factors to consider, like how much it costs, how hard it is to get into, the kinds of classes it offers, how far away it is from home, and so on. But what about how pretty the campus is?! Yeah, your parents probably don’t care about that part, but it’s fine if you do. You’re the one who will be spending years of your life there! Would you rather pull an all-nighter in an old Gothic library or a sunlight-filled modern space? How does rushing to class on a campus that is also a botanical garden sound to you? (Yeah, at Elon University, that’s a real thing.)
Given that it’s definitely still up in the air whether anyone will be physically stepping foot on campus this fall, how your college *looks* might be completely irrelevant. But hopefully one day soon, once the U.S. government gets the coronavirus pandemic under control, you will be able to head to school and do all the fun in-person stuff, like actually raise your hand in class rather than digitally on Zoom. And hey. Last time I checked, looking at pretty pics of manicured lawns and stately academic buildings wasn’t illegal.
We’ve got thousands of colleges here in the U.S., and a ton of them are truly STUN-NING. So without further ado, here are the 50 most beautiful college campuses.
Syracuse University (in Syracuse, New York)
Is that Hogwarts or upstate New York? Can’t wait to pledge Gryffindor second semester.
University of Pennsylvania (in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
UPenn’s got historic charm coming out the wazoo. Just look at those grand old Gothic buildings.
Christopher Newport University (in Newport News, Virginia)
This campus is dang majestic (it looks like a movie set, IMO) and what you don’t see in this pic is that it’s also extremely close to the beaches in Virginia. I’m gonna major in sunbathing.
Spelman College (in Atlanta, Georgia)
Would you look at that landscaping! Feels like I’ve been spirited away to a secret garden full of flowers and butterflies and positive vibes.
Berry College (in Mount Berry, Georgia)
Berry has the biggest college campus in the U.S.—a total of 27,000+ acres, brag. If everyone had a sanctuary like this to study in, we’d all be straight A students.
Elon University (in Elon, North Carolina)
Sure, the buildings are nice, but get this: Elon’s campus is literally designated as a freaking botanical garden, so ready your eyeballs for loads of beautiful greenery in your periphery as you head to class.
Duke University (in Durham, North Carolina )
Everything at Duke is big—the campus (it spans more than 8,600 acres), the school spirit, the Greek life. The Duke Chapel tower, pictured here, is definitely one of the most OMG-worthy features on campus. You can even schedule a Chapel tower climb…but only if you’re a full-time Duke University employee.
San Diego State University (in San Diego, California)
Show me a more stereotypically Cali campus than this heavenly palm-tree-dotted place. Warning: The plethora of Insta-worthy spots might turn you into a photography major.
Howard University (in Washington, D.C.)
The campus looks out over downtown D.C., thanks to its location on one of the highest elevations in the city. (It’s definitely a city school, btw, and an open campus.) From certain spots around school, you can even catch a glimpse of the Washington monument.
Georgetown University (in Washington, D.C.)
Georgetown, another D.C. school, overlooks the Potomac River and will give you major monarchy vibes, thanks, in part, to its Jesuit background. (Lotsa steeples.) For horror fans, the infamous stairs from The Exorcist are, like, creepy-close to campus.
North Carolina Central University (in Durham, North Carolina)
Just about a mile south of downtown Durham, the NCCU campus has been on the list of National Register of Historic Places since the ’80s. Most of the academic buildings are Georgian Revival style, which means—yeah—they look dignified as hell.
Hampton University (in Hampton, Virginia)
I have six words for you: Surrounded. On. Three. Sides. By. Water. Hampton University calls itself “our home by the sea,” and I truly couldn’t be more down.
Baylor University (in Waco, Texas)
I’m pretty sure if you look up “college campus” in the dictionary, it’s just a photo of Baylor ’cause it’s darn near picture-perfect. According to its own (highly humble) website, the campus “is considered one of the most beautiful in the country.”
Amherst College (in Amherst, Massachusetts)
Amherst might be a small school, but it’s overflowing with New England charm. Why, hello there, clock tower.
Colgate University (in Hamilton, New York)
Colgate was recently home to a pair of swans for 90+ years that lived on the on-campus lake, and I think that pretty much sums up the fairytale aesthetic it has going on here.
Vassar College (in Poughkeepsie, New York)
Excusez-moi, is this an American college or a European royal manor? ’Cause it seems like someone could be practicing clay pigeon shooting over yonder.
Dartmouth College (in Hanover, New Hampshire)
Legend has it that President Eisenhower once said the following about Dartmouth: “This is what a college is supposed to look like.” In 2018, Architectural Digest included Dartmouth on its list of 50 most beautiful colleges in America—so yeah, that quote tracks.
Fisk University (in Nashville, Tennessee )
You can enjoy everything the grand city of Nashville has to offer (dude, if you haven’t ever tasted hot chicken…get your booty to Music City asap) when you go to Fisk. Former students say the campus has a “family” vibe, and in 1978, the campus was designated as a National Historic District “in recognition of its architectural, historic, and cultural significance,” according to the school’s website.
Flagler College (in St. Augustine, Florida)
A luxury hotel turned private liberal arts college? Huh, when I was searching colleges, my parents must have worked some magic so Flagler College wouldn’t show up on any of the lists I was looking at.
Cornell University (in Ithaca, New York)
No wonder Andy Bernard was so obsessed with Cornell. If I spent four years walking those grounds, I’d probably be pretty proud too.
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