美国《新闻周刊》（ Newsweek）与「卡普兰」（ Kaplan）教育机构联手推出的《卡普兰大学指南》，选出二○○五年度全美二十五间最受欢迎的大学。各校除提供上乘教育，还各具特色，迎合不同学生的需要。名单是经访问学生、处理入学申请的大学职员和观察家后定出，部份国际驰名（例如哈佛、耶鲁和麻省理工），部份则不为区外人士熟悉，但共通点是近年学术成绩斐然，报读人数增加。

美国大学私校学费可贵至每年近三十二万港元，报读前当然要认真思量。攻伊战后，有学生矢志入读军校，也有人仍崇尚自由开放的校风。这份大学指南列出的最受欢迎大学，林林总总，有的专长于某学术或范畴，有的以校园特点取胜，总有一间令你神往。

最受欢迎的常春藤大学：耶鲁大学（Yale University）。
校址：康狄格州纽黑文
耶鲁享负盛名，另一大吸引处就是美国罕有的寄宿制学院──所有学士生都要入住十二间各具特色的学院其中一间。另外，耶鲁支持改革备受争议的预先录取（提前收生）制度，也受学生支持。

最受欢迎艺术学院： 朱利亚学院（ Juilliard School）。
校址：纽约州纽约市
该校历史近一百年，历届毕业生包括影星奇云格连、小提琴家帕尔曼以至编舞家卢博维奇，新学年会有新的制作及表演课程；即使是学生交响乐团也经常到国外表演，令一众立志发展艺术事业的年轻人趋之若鹜。不过去年它只录取了一百五十二名新生。

拥有最受欢迎校园建筑的大学：麻省理工学院（ Massachusetts Institute of Technology）。
校址：麻省剑桥近
七十八亿港元的扩建工程，包括前年落成的一座全新学生宿舍，和扩充传播媒体实验室。今年初用的电脑科学系大楼更邀得着名建筑师盖瑞（ Frank Gehry）设计，被学生誉为「智能村」。

最受健身族欢迎的大学：维珍尼亚大学（ University of Virginia）。
校址：维珍尼亚州夏洛茨维尔
大学创办人、美国第三任总统杰斐逊曾说过：「强健体魄能令头脑也敏锐起来。」全校四座体育中心总面积达三十万平方尺，包括泳池、举重室以至瑜伽练习室等，使用学生多达九成四。

最受高科技潮人欢迎的大学：达特茅斯学院（ Dartmouth College）。
校址：新罕布什尔州汉诺威
在科技改革上永远快人一步，是最早在校园装设电邮系统和电脑网络的大学之一，亦是首间在校园添置 Wi-Fi技术的长春藤大学。学生获发免费软件，能用校内Wi-Fi把电脑变成电话，普通电话在校园近乎绝。

最受欢迎的政治大学：华盛顿大学（George Washington University）。
校址：首都华盛顿
校园毗邻世界银行和白宫，是政治系学生的梦想。教授往往兼任政府顾问，课程内容保证理论与实用兼备。校方也鼓励学生到政府机关、智囊机构或政治组织实习。 CNN一个政治节目就是从校园直播。

最受欢迎的□工快大学：卡内基梅隆大学（ Carnegie Mellon University）。
校址：宾夕凡尼亚州匹兹堡
最重实践经验，也鼓励学生多思考如何学以致用。约七成学生毕业时已有公司徵聘，另外三成直升研究院。在十二个学系中，以电脑、工程和戏剧最受欢迎。过去十年的报读人数急升逾倍，去年新生近一千四百人。

最受欢迎的企业家大学：宾夕凡尼亚州立大学（ Pennsylvania State University）。
校址：宾夕凡尼亚州大学园
该校不但以美式足球着名，更被称为未来企业家的训练场，十个学院中六个都有开办企业家课程。其中商学院和工程学院联办的课程，教工程师怎样做生意，又商学院学生最尖端的科技；酒店管理系学生则负责管理校园内两间酒店。

最受欢迎的医护大学：北卡罗来纳大学（ University of North Carolina）。
校址：北卡州查珀尔希尔
设有五十多个主修科目，所有医护科目集于一校，是吸引未来医生、护士专材入读的原因。护理学院和公共生学院均有提供学位课程，医学院学生亦可选读放射学或临床实验实习学位课程。由于资源充足，生物学、心理学和护理学均受欢迎。

发放奖学金最慷慨的大学：伯里亚学院（Berea College）。
校址：肯塔基州伯里亚
一千五百名学生全部来自年均收入仅二十三万港元左右的家庭，八成学生来自偏远贫穷的南部地区。学生均获奖学金免缴学费，更可申请食宿和书簿津贴，但需在校园工作以尽量减低学院的成本，不少毕业后成为该区医护人员或社工。

最受欢迎双主修大学：莱斯大学（ Rice University）。
校址：德萨斯州侯斯顿
给予学生很多时间和自由决定主修科目，所以近三分二学生都会双主修，通常是理科夹人文学科。工程和科学学科最出名，是知名研究所。

拥有最受欢迎的图书馆：哈佛大学（ Harvard University）。
校址：麻省剑桥
哈佛的图书馆甚至比美国国会图书馆优胜，收藏量广，包括逾 1500万册书籍、 550万卷缩微胶卷、 650万份手稿，数码资料齐备。

最受个人主义者欢迎：奥伯林学院（ Oberlin College）。
校址：俄亥俄州奥伯林
校园弥漫独特的生活和学习态度，创意学科包括「死亡与死亡艺术」与「美国混血儿」；由学生管理的实验学院，开班让学生教授自己的创作。

最受欢迎军校：美国海军学院（ US Naval Academy）。
校址：马里兰州安纳波利斯
入学不难，部份学员更可获豁免学费，但四年课程非常严格，对工程学、自然科学与社会科学均很注重。毕业生往往加入海军或海军陆战队。

最受滑浪和滑雪爱好者欢迎：加州大学圣巴巴拉分校（ University of California, Santa Barbara）。
校址：加州圣巴巴拉
相信这是太平洋沿岸最美丽的校园，更有顶级科技研究中心，出过数名诺贝尔物理学及化学奖得主。校园有海滩让学生滑浪，大熊滑雪场就在附近。

最受欢迎的马术学校：霍林斯大学（ Hollins University）。
校址：维珍尼亚州罗阿诺克
本身是一所优秀的博雅教育女子大学，坐落马业兴旺的山区，经常胜出骑术赛事，很多毕业生从事与马有关工作，例如练马师、骑师与兽医。

最受欢迎的中西部十大联盟大学：西北大学（ Northwestern University）。
校址：伊利诺州埃文斯顿
六个本科生学院皆全国知名，尤其是新闻与工程学院，吸引无数有志做演员、记者、工程师和教师的学生，校园又近芝加哥，消闲多去处。

最受欢迎的种族多元化大学：理公会大学（ Wesleyan University）。
校址：康狄格州米德尔敦
超过三分一学生是「有色人种」，百分之七学生是海外生，一成半学生是家族中首名读四年大学者。种族多元化，令课堂讨论观点繁多。

最受欢迎的海外学习大学：塔夫茨大学（Tufts University）。
校址：麻省梅德福
四成学生到海外学习，校方强调训练学生成为世界公民，对学生外语要求高，并有多个中心教授中国、德国和加纳等各国语言和文化。

拥有最受欢迎的自律校规： 哈弗福德学院（ Haverford College）。
校址：宾夕凡尼亚州哈弗福德
学校有一大套关于学术和社交生活的规矩，但让学生自律自治，考试试题可带回家作答，违规事件由学生委员会处理，鼓励学生互相学习。

最受欢迎的学业与社交并重的大学：密歇根州立大学（University of Michigan）。
校址：密歇根州安阿伯
学术上强调跨学科研习，社交生活也极为重，一成半本科生参加联谊会结交新朋友，营造温情洋溢的社群，适合人在异乡亲朋少的学生。 【加州阳光 http://www.calsunshine.info 】

最受欢迎的「阳光」大学：波莫纳学院（ Pomona College）。
校址：加州克莱尔蒙特
将新英格兰的博雅教育学院搬到全年阳光普照的加州，所以「热」；学年开始时有禁酒周，所以「乾」。过去数年报读人数增加三成。

最受欢迎的州立大学：德州大学奥斯汀分校（ University of Texas at Austin）。
校址：德萨斯州奥斯汀
为数五万的学生人数之多是全国之冠，商学院、法律学院和工程学院水平都在全国最佳之列，学费却比私立大学便宜。学生组织多达九百个。

最受田园派学生欢迎的大学：康奈尔大学（ Cornell University）。
校址：纽约州伊萨卡
校园被峡谷包围，即使冬天也有美丽的田园景色，学术多元化，工程、美术与科学等学科水平高不在话下，食物水准也属全国最佳之列。

最受城市族欢迎的大学：纽约大学（ New York University）。
校址：纽约州纽约市大学
建筑物分散在格林威治村，没有青草地校园，却有整个纽约市给学生探索，艺术学院和商学院享负盛名。邻近华尔街，有利商科生。

来源: Newsweek: America's 25 Hot Schools

By Barbara Kantrowitz

Competition's intense and there are scores of colleges. Large, small, public, private, urban, rural—what's best for you? Here are our top picks for the places that everyone's talking about for 2005

2005 edition - Pull apart the DNA of a student's dream school and you'll find so many different strands. Perhaps it's the location, either in the rolling countryside far from anything that resembles a sidewalk, or in the midst of a hip urban neighborhood. It could be a college's unique educational mission or the array of quirky personalities on campus. Maybe it's the outstanding labs or libraries or theaters, even the fitness center. All 25 colleges on the Hot List for 2005 have one thing in common: they provide an outstanding education. But what makes them hot is their differences and special traits.

Although all these schools have demonstrated continuing excellence, various qualities made many of them stand out in 2004. The Iraq war, as well as its aftermath, highlighted the importance of well-educated military leadership and made some students think of applying to Annapolis or West Point. The debate over Early Decision (ED) admissions policies prompted a number of applicants to try schools like Yale or Stanford that have led the effort to reduce ED stress on students. The controversy over affirmative action motivated other students to seek out schools like Wesleyan that celebrate diversity. Another trend has been increased attention to quality-of-life issues: good dorms, good food, an active social life, a range of student organizations. There's also a growing focus on what happens at the end of four years. Is the career center helpful? How many students get jobs or are accepted into the graduate schools of their choice? With tuition and fees at private universities topping $40,000 a year, these are serious questions.

To compile this admittedly subjective list, we interviewed students, admissions officers and longtime observers of the admissions process. The applicant pool for all these schools has grown much stronger in recent years—not only in sheer numbers of students applying but also in test scores, grades and extracurricular accomplishments. Some schools on our list have international repu-tations. Others aren't widely known out-side their region. But they are all someone's dream school. Maybe yours? Herewith, America's Hottest Colleges for 2005.
Michael Marsland / Yale University
At the Harvard football game, a Yalie shows his allegiance

HOTTEST IVY

Yale University, New Haven, Conn.

Yale president Richard Levin has been a leader in efforts to change ED admissions policies, and that is probably one reason the university was at the top of so many ambitious students' lists this year. A record 19,682 students applied in 2003, but only 1,955 were admitted. The 2004-05 season could be a repeat. Undergraduate Admissions Dean Richard Shaw says the number of campus visits has increased dramatically—a good indicator of a future spike in applications. Yalies say a big attraction of their undergraduate experience is the residential-college system. Students live in one of 12 colleges, each with its own character, under the guidance of a master and a dean.

HOTTEST SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS

Juilliard School, New York, N.Y.

Juilliard turns 100 in the 2005-06 academic year, and the current crop of students can look back on an impressive history with such alumni as actor Kevin Kline, violinist Itzhak Perlman and choreographer Lar Lubovitch. To celebrate, the school will introduce new choreography, productions and performances. The student orchestra, which already performs abroad, will embark on its first domestic tour. In 2003-04, Juilliard received 2,016 applications; only 152 musicians, dancers and actors were offered the chance to showcase their talent in the Juilliard Theater right next to Lincoln Center. That's the best inspiration for any aspiring star.

HOTTEST BIG 10 SCHOOL

Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.

With six undergraduate schools, Northwestern attracts budding actors, journalists, engineers and teachers—along with plenty of liberal-arts students still unsure of their major. Each school has a national reputation and draws students from all over the country. Some standouts: the Medill School of Journalism, the School of Communication (which includes the drama and thea-ter program) and the engineering school, which is a center of research in nanotechnology. When they're not studying, Northwestern students can take in Wildcats football or head into Chicago, which is at the doorstep of the Evanston campus.

HOTTEST LIBRARY

Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

Harvard's library system ranks with the best of any kind in the country, even the Library of Congress. "It contains the largest collection of every kind of book and bit of information anyone would ever want," says library director Sidney Verba. The collection includes more than 15 million volumes, 5.5 million microforms, 6.5 million manuscripts and 5 million other research materials such as photographs, maps and recordings. Even undergraduates take advantage of these resources for writing term papers and senior theses. Harvard's digital collection is particularly strong, and a big draw for students who want access to just about every online journal around.

HOTTEST RIDING SCHOOL

Hollins University, Roanoke, Va.

Located in the rolling hills of Virginia's horse country, Hollins offers outstanding training for equestriennes. With fewer than 800 women undergraduates, the school is a regular winner of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship, and the Hollins team has captured seven top 10 finishes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Many Hollins students work with horses after graduation as trainers, riders or veterinarians. But if they decide to get out of the saddle, the school also offers a strong liberal-arts program and a highly regarded creative-writing curriculum with dozens of famous grads (including Margaret Wise Brown, Annie Dillard and Lee Smith).

HOTTEST ARCHITECTURE

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.

President Charles Vest is leaving his mark with an ambitious $1 billion construction program that includes Steven Holl's Simmons Hall, a controversial aluminum-clad dormitory that opened in 2002, and Fumihiko Maki's expansion of the Media Lab. The biggest buzz surrounds the Stata Center, a computer-science building by Frank Gehry that opened in spring 2004. The raucous, lighthearted exterior belies purposeful planning inside: the center not only contains labs for the "intelligence sciences" but also connects corridors and public spaces in a way that encourages spontaneous collaboration. MIT calls it an "intellectual village." 【加州阳光 http://www.calsunshine.info 】

HOTTEST FOR FITNESS

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.

Long before the invention of the treadmill, Thomas Jefferson, the founder of UVA, wrote: "A strong body makes the mind strong." UVA follows that adage by offering both varsity competitors and weekend warriors some of the best fitness facilities in the country. Associate athletics director Mark Fletcher says 94 percent of all students use one of the four indoor recreation centers, which together make up 300,000 square feet of pools, running tracks, weight rooms and classrooms for yoga and kickboxing. The school also maintains a 23-acre park for outdoor field sports and jogging.

HOTTEST FOR DIVERSITY

Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn.

"We want to include everyone who would benefit and contribute to the kinds of discussions we have in classes," says Dean of Admissions Nancy Meislahn. More than a third are "students of color," and 7 percent are international students. An additional 15 percent are the first in their family to attend a four-year college. The result, Wesleyan officials say, is a great range of perspectives in the classroom.

HOTTEST FOR THE TECH-SAVVY

Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.

Dartmouth's first computer was so expensive that only faculty and administrators were allowed to use it. But Profs. John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz understood that computers were tools for everyone. Forty years ago they created the computer language BASIC, which helped hasten the personal-computer revolution. The school has been in the forefront of technological change ever since, with one of the first e-mail programs and an early campus computer network. Dartmouth was also the first Ivy to install Wi-Fi on campus. The school offers free software to students so they can turn their laptops into telephones using the school's Wi-Fi—a good thing, because regular cell-phone service on the rural campus can be spotty.

HOTTEST FOR STUDYING ABROAD

Tufts University, Medford, Mass.

Long before globalization became a cliche, Tufts administrators were figuring out how to teach students to be citizens of the world. "Tufts likes students who want to study abroad," says Sheila Bayne, director of overseas programs. This translates into a strong language requirement, and a chance to learn a new culture in one of Tufts's own centers in such countries as Germany, Chile, China or Ghana. About 40 percent of Tufts juniors—as well as some seniors and sophomores—are away during the academic year. For graduates who find their calling in working overseas, there's Tufts's famed Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy just down the street.

HOTTEST FOR ITS HONOR CODE

Haverford College, Haverford, Pa.

Quakers founded Haverford in 1833, and even though the school is now secular, this academically rigorous liberal-arts college retains many traces of its heritage. The honor code is central to the college's values and covers almost every aspect of academic and social life. Take-home and unproctored exams are routine, and students live in dorms without resident advisers because they are expected to be able to handle any issues that arise among themselves. On the rare occasions when a student breaches the code, the student-run Honor Council determines the consequences. "Haverford expects people to learn from one another, debate and argue with one another—but to do so respectfully," says Rob Killion, director of admissions.

HOTTEST FOR POLITICAL JUNKIES

George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

With a campus next door to the World Bank and down the street from the White House, GW is a poli-sci major's dream. Professors often consult for the government, which gives their classroom perspective a practical edge. The school also encourages internships at government agencies, think tanks and advocacy organizations. And for a study break, students can check out CNN's political-affairs show "Crossfire," which is telecast live from the campus. Another plus: the fixed-tuition plan, which keeps rates flat until graduation. You don't need to be a policy wonk to appreciate that.

HOTTEST FOR GREEKS WITH BRAINS

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Michigan took the lead in the recent affirmative-action case that went to the Supreme Court, and has been an innovator in multidisciplinary approaches to everything from music to medicine. "A smaller university might excel in one subject but not everything," says spokesman Julie Peterson. "We give our students everything." That includes a lively social life. About 15 percent of undergrads go Greek, which students say helps them find a friendlier community within the vast student population (23,000 undergrads). Fraternities and sororities are especially popular with the many out-of-state students, says Mary Beth Seiler, the Greek-life director. "If you're far away from home and looking to connect, it provides an opportunity," she says.

HOTTEST FOR DOUBLE MAJORS

Rice University, Houston, Texas

Most schools call for students to declare a major by sophomore year, but Rice doesn't require that commitment until junior year—which means students have lots of time to explore different passions. That may be one reason that nearly two thirds at Rice end up double-majoring. "We have an extremely ambitious student body," says Ann Wright, vice president for enrollment. The most common combination is science and humanities. The school is best known nationally for its engineering and science curriculum, but the social sciences are also becoming strong. Rice stands out another way: although it's a major research institution, it feels relatively intimate because it has only 2,800 undergraduates.

HOTTEST FOR HOT AND DRY

Pomona College, Claremont, Calif.

Students at Pomona (one of five colleges in the Claremont University Consortium) like to say they have the best of two worlds: the academically challenging environment of a small New England liberal-arts college with year-round California sunshine. That combination has been drawing more students from around the country, and applications are up 30 percent in the last few years. Students also can tap the academic and social resources of the other Claremont colleges, including Pitzer, Harvey Mudd and Scripps. But none of the colleges will be tapping a keg during "dry week," a tradition at the start of the year during which no alcohol is allowed on campus. "Alcohol isn't the center of the social universe at Pomona," says Bruce Poch, dean of admissions. All those palm trees are enough of a high.

HOTTEST STATE UNIVERSITY

University of Texas at Austin

Austin is the "live-music capital of the world" and home to the University of Texas—a campus so laid-back it should be deemed the capital of flip-flops as well. But don't get the wrong idea: this isn't a place for slackers. With 50,000 students (more than any other school in the country), UT boasts some of the nation's best business, law and engineering schools. If football isn't your thing (that'll change), one of the 900 student organizations should spark your interest. Best of all, even out-of-state tuition (about $12,000) is cheaper than at a private university, making it possible to ditch the ramen and try the barbecue.

HOTTEST FOR GETTING A JOB

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Hands-on experience is a key part of life at Carnegie Mellon, says Michael Steidel, director of admissions. The 1,360 students in the freshman class apply to one of the school's 12 programs; computer science, engineering and drama are most popular. The school takes pride in being on the cutting edge in every field and encourages students to think about applying what they learn to the real world. "We start working with students as freshmen to get them thinking about what's possible in terms of what your education can do," Steidel says. That approach seems to be paying off both in the number of applications (they've more than doubled in the last decade) and in the value of a Carnegie Mellon degree: about 70 percent of students have a job offer when they graduate (an additional 30 percent go right to graduate school).

HOTTEST FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.

Although it's probably best known for football, Penn State is also staking a strong claim as a training ground for future entrepreneurs. Six of the campus's 10 undergraduate colleges offer entrepreneurship courses. The Smeal College of Business and the College of Engineering are the most natural partners, with joint programs to show engineers how to run businesses and to teach business students the latest technology. Hotel-management students operate two on-campus hotels and conference centers where they're involved in everything from food service to staffing the front desk. The College of Communications focuses on entrepreneurship in the Information Age. But the creme de la creme (literally) is the Creamery, officially a "working laboratory" for food-science students in the College of Agricultural Sciences. While those students learn the basics of product development and marketing, other Penn Staters savor some of the best ice cream around, like Peachy Paterno (named after the legendary football coach).

HOTTEST FOR HEALTH CAREERS

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.

One of the top public universities in the country, UNC-Chapel Hill offers students a choice of more than 50 majors. But what really draws future doctors, nurses and other health professionals is the opportunity to study at a campus with all health disciplines in one place. The School of Nursing and the School of Public Health both have undergraduate programs. At the School of Medicine, undergrads can earn degrees in radiologic science or clinical laboratory practice. With all these resources, it's not surprising that biology, psychology and nursing are among the top majors. Linda Cronenwett, dean of the School of Nursing, says "a history of collaboration grew up that enhanced the work of all our disciplines."

HOTTEST FOR INDIVIDUALISTS

Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio

Two schools make up Oberlin—the College of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music—and an idiosyncratic approach to life and learning is a virtue throughout the campus. Consider the innovative subject matter of some first-year seminars: Death and the Art of Dying, American Mixed Blood, and Destination: L.A. The student-run Experimental College lets undergraduates teach courses of their own creation, like Making Your Own Mobile or Mythology and Epic Storytelling in "Lord of the Rings." This eccentricity gets results: Oberlin graduates have more Ph.D.s than alumni of any other liberal-arts college. They also include comic-strip artist David Rees, New York Magazine editor Adam Moss and opera singer Indira Mahajan.

HOTTEST FOR CITY HATERS

Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.

Technically, Ithaca is a city, but no one would mistake it for Manhattan. Cornell's rural, upstate New York campus is bounded by deep gorges (prompting the bumper sticker ithaca is gorges). Even during the long winters, many students say the scenery is spectacular—a good antidote to a demanding course schedule that students call the toughest of the Ivies. The school's biggest draw is its academic diversity, with top-ranked undergraduate schools of engineering, arts and sciences, architecture, hotel administration, industrial and labor relations, agriculture and human ecology. Another plus is the food, considered to be among the best campus cuisines in the country.

HOTTEST FOR CITY LOVERS

New York University, New York, N.Y.

The erstwhile TV show "Felicity" helped make NYU a TV star, but in 2004-05 the campus will be home to some real-life celebrities: the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley. Not that NYU needs extra star power. Even after September 11, the school continued to draw applications from more than 17,000 talented students. One of the top attractions is the Tisch School of the Arts, which nurtures future actors, dancers and screenwriters. The business school is also highly rated, and students can take advantage of internships on Wall Street, just a subway ride away. Although NYU doesn't have a campus in the traditional sense (the buildings are scattered throughout Greenwich Village), few students complain. Instead of a single grassy quad, they've got a whole city to explore.

HOTTEST MILITARY SCHOOL

U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.

At Annapolis, getting in is the easy part—even though that means winning one of about 1,200 coveted tuition-free spots from among more than 14,000 applicants. The four-year curriculum is tough and technically oriented, with core requirements in engineering, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. Traditions play a huge part in campus life. "When you first show up for classes in the fall, students begin counting down the number of days until the Army-Navy game," says Cmdr. Tim Disher, admissions officer. Graduates become commissioned officers in the Navy or the Marine Corps.

HOTTEST FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Berea College, Berea, Ky.

Berea's mission is unique among American colleges. The 1,500 students come from families with average household incomes of only $30,000, and 80 percent have grown up in southern Appalachia, a region that spans nine states with some of the most remote and poverty-stricken rural communities in the country. All students get full-tuition scholarships, although they do have to pay for as much of their room, board and books as they can afford (scholarships are available for those as well). Students are required to work—many of them at jobs on campus that are critical to keeping Berea's costs down. Many students are also active in community service and go on to be doctors, nurses or social workers in the region.

HOTTEST FOR SURF-AND-SKI

University of California, Santa Barbara

If there's a more beautiful campus than this one at the edge of the Pacific, we haven't seen it. For many students, that would seal the deal, but UCSB also boasts Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, top research centers in science and technology and an extensive study-abroad program. The number of applicants has doubled in the past decade, with 36,651 applying for admission to the class of 2008 (19,325 were accepted). Aside from the top academics, a big draw for many is the variety of recreation. The campus has its own beaches where students can surf, and the Big Bear ski resort is just a few hours' drive away.

Editor's Note: In "America's 25 Hot Schools," the 2005 edition of the Newsweek-Kaplan College Guide erred in reporting that New York University draws "more than 17,000" applicants a year. The correct figure is more than 33,000 applicants.