Creating A Cover Letter - San Diego State University: Fill & Download for Free

Hi everyone, I would like to preface this by saying that I don't think my scores are simply mediocre. In comparison to the majority of posts that I see on here, they are very mediocre (if not low). I hope that this is helpful to anyone who's looking into applying to top schools but don't think their stats are high enough.Demographics:Gender: FemaleRace/Ethnicity: Asian-American (Filipino)Residence: California (SoCal, west of LA)High School: rural public school, 2000 kids, class of 450Hooks: first-gen, living in low-income area (although not low-income myself), military dependent (idk if that's a hook)Intended Major(s):Biochemistry/Molecular Biology (pre-med)AcademicsGPA: 4.00 UW & 4.56 W & 4.30 UC Weighted (capped)Rank: 6/457I would like to add that these stats were as of applying. In my midyear report, my GPA rose to 4.57 and I became rank 3/455.Honors/AP/IB: 5 Honors, 5 IB, 4 AP, 5 dual enrollment courses at local CCSenior Year: IB English HL, IB Chemistry HL, IB History of the Americas HL, IB French SL, AP Calc AB, DE human biology, DE psychology, DE biopsychology, DE philosophyTestingSAT: 1420 (700 RW, 720 M)I took this during the school day in March 2019. I did retake it, but my score decreased, so we don't talk about that. My superscore was nonexistent.ACT: 32 (31E/32M/28R/36S)SAT II: Math II (650), Chemistry (670) Terrible, I know.AP: Human Geo (4), Biology (3), European History (3)IB: IB Economics SL (6)ExtracurricularsNothing extraordinary or standout, just things I was actually into doing. I'm just going to put what I wrote into the Common App.Captain, Color Guard (9-12): 2 year captain, choreographed and taught routine, raised money for fundraisersPresident, Asian Club (9-12): 2 year President, secretary in 10th, increased club attendance, raised money for activities, implemented new planning systemVolunteer, Local Hospital (10-12): Assisted nurses with general hospital duties, provided communication between hospital departmentsSecretary, Science Olympiad (11-12): Led group to 3rd place in regionals, collaborated with members to created 5 winning projects, fundraised for expensesLeader + Ambassador, Link Crew (11-12): 1 of 40 students chosen, led and mentored 20 freshmen, planned icebreakers for 800 studentsSocial Chair, Filipino Club (10,12): Communicate with other schools to create a unifying district event [side note: rip that event due to quarantine], organize activities promoting Filipino culture(also my #10 activity) California Scholarship Federation/Key Club (9-12): regularly participate in monthly volunteer eventsVolunteer, Local Boys & Girls Club (10): Assisted activity directors in overseeing activities for 150 PreK-8 childrenTutor, Zeroes Aren't Permitted (10): Tutored 10 9-10th graders in math and science with a team of 5, proctored tests for 20 students weeklyAwards/HonorsPrincipal's Honor Roll (LOL)Scholarship Award from local organizationAP Scholar2nd place at Science FairTop 5 Finalist to be school's Girls' State DelegateEssaysI'm in no way a phenomenal writer, and I am well aware of this. I was lucky to have my mom there to help me edit my essays and show more my values through these essays. My UC essays weren't outstanding, and my common app essay was alright. Nothing was standout amazing, but they portrayed who I was.LORSChemistry Teacher (6/10): last year, she had two students that went to MIT and she always would compare us to them, so that didn't set a good precedent for me. That said, I tend to spend a lot of time in her classroom, and she was our science olympiad advisor. With that, I don't think it was a terrible letter.Calculus Teacher (6/10): I do well in his class, but I don't have much of a "relationship" with him. He seems to enjoy me in class, so maybe?Counselor (7/10): I think my counselor really likes me and she finished my LOR really fast. I always went to her office to talk to her about stuff, so that may have built my relationship with her.InterviewsI only had one with Penn, and I think it went pretty well. She was very relaxed, and we talked for 40 minutes. I did a 2 minute video for Brown and UChicago.DecisionsI do regret applying to so many, especially with the amount of safeties I applied to. I also applied to some reaches that I didn't really want to go to, so that wasn't great.Rejections:WashU: I applied on a whim. I got a fee waiver from them, so I decided why the hell not. I'm not super into going to the mid west for school.UPenn: Also applied on a whim, and I got a fee waiver from them as well. I was originally going to have UPenn as my only Ivy because I initially wanted to go into nursing (then changed my mind). I wouldn't have minded going to UPenn.Cornell: I decided to apply, primarily because it was the more STEM-based out of all of the Ivies. I wasn't really looking to get in here, since I didn't wanna be in a rural setting (I go to school in a rural high school, and it's not my vibe)Northeastern: I heard that they really take into consideration whether you show demonstrated interest, and I did not. Wasn't expecting much.USC: USC was my second-choice, but surprisingly didn't hurt bc I opened it after a specific school...NYU: I originally wanted to apply because they had a nursing program. After deciding not to pursue nursing, I applied as Public Health. I was hoping to finish off college apps with an acceptance here, but I was okay with this rejection.Waitlists:Johns Hopkins: I expected to get full-on rejected here, so I was actually happy about this. I'm opting in, but most likely wouldn't attend if I get off of it.UChicago: Same as Johns.UCLA: For the longest time, UCLA was my dream school, so this one was something that I was really rooting for. When I opened it, this one hurt the most, even though it wasn't a full-on rejection. Everyone was rooting for me to get off of the waitlist, and I definitely opted it. However, I think I might put this school away for a little bit...Acceptances:Azusa Pacific University President's Scholarship (Rolling): applied because I got a fee waiver, but I didn't really care too much about it. I got 32k in scholarships, but it still left almost 50k left to pay.California Lutheran University President's Scholarship (EA): I applied because I got a fee waiver and it was 20 minutes from home. I didn't care too too much about it, but I got half tuition and I would be staying home if I went here. I wasWhittier College Greenleaf Scholarship (EA): To be honest, I have no idea where Whittier is. I only applied because it was in California, and they gave me a fee waiver.CSUCI: It was my local school, and I absolutely would not have gone here if I had other options. It would be almost free for me to attend, however.CSU Fullerton: Originally applied as nursing (for career security). They didn't consider me for it because my chemistry teacher didn't fill out the letter of recomendation in time, but I got in undeclared.SDSU Honors: I was really excited about this school because it was the only school that I got into that had a color guard, and I was really excited about the prospect of continuing it in the future.CSULB: I was also really happy to get in here, but I realize I probably wouldn't have wanted to go. I haven't really been to the Long Beach area.Fordham (EA): I got in with the UPS scholarship (which is for underrepresented groups, which I didn't think of myself as one? oh well). Likely not going.University of San Francisco University Scholar Award (EA): I got in for nursing, which I didn't think I'd get into given that they have a 15% acceptance rate into the program. I really liked the people that I met, and I'm really sad that I won't get to meet them.UC Irvine Honors + Regents: This one was huge for me. It was my third choice school, and I love the campus. The main issue is that all of the people seem to fall under the same Asian stereotypes, and it's a very homogeneous social scene there. I got 8k in scholarships, which was rare for a UC. In addition, I have guaranteed housing and priority registration, so the benefits are really good here.UC Riverside Chancellors': my parents regarded this as my "safety UC" so I was kind of expecting to get in. I wasn't expecting the scholarship however, and they gave me 5k per year. Likely not going.UC San Diego: I love the campus, and I hope to live in San Diego when I'm older. The main issue is that I received exactly $0 in financial aid, which was a huge turn off. I would've loved to attend though!UC Berkeley: I was actually very shocked about this one. I expected to not get in, even before the whole UCLA meltdown. I'm not super into Northern California, and I'm not super into the vibe of Cal. The main reason why it's still on my list is because it's really rare for people in my school to end up going into one of the higher UCs (tl;dr I'm only considering Berkeley because of clout)Brown University (!!!!): Man, if I wasn't gonna get into UCLA, there was no way in hell I was going to get into Brown. At least, that's what I thought before I opened this one. I fully expected a rejection and upon seeing the "Welcome to Brown!" graphic, I thought that it was a dream. I still think that it's a dream that I even got in. I'm really into Brown's open curriculum, since I have a lot of different interests that I wanna pursue (different languages, classics, psychology, even math, and I wanna explore more of what Brown has to offer). I was worried that I wouldn't be able to go because of the cost, but that school covered 93% of my tuition AND covered my books and course material. I would only have $20k left to pay and I've been applying to scholarships, so HOPEFULLY I can get that covered. Otherwise, I'm really happy, and I'm (unofficially) saying that I'm going to #Brown2024 !**UPDATE:** Hi, it’s me again! Like I said before, I decided to opt into all of my waitlists, and I got into UCLA and Johns Hopkins off of their waitlists. However, I’m set on going to Brown :)

The National Library of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech RepublicThe Clementinum has been described as “the Baroque pearl of Prague,” and this is surely due at least in part to the richly adorned interior of its library, with its touches of gold and stunning spiral pillars. The facility, which was built in 1722, now serves as the National Library of the Czech Republic and is graced with a ceiling adornment by Jan Hiebl that celebrates ancient learning and wisdom. Meanwhile, some of the tomes contained within date all the way back to the Jesuit era. The historic complex, which was originally a major Jesuit college, was included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme in 2005.Strahov Monastery Library, Prague Czech RepublicAnyone who wishes to consult the Bible when in Prague should head to the Strahov Monastery. Its magnificent Theological Hall is home to thousands of editions of the holy book. Moreover, the library hall’s glorious stuccowork makes the space a real head-turner. It was completed in 1679, with the nearby Philosophical Hall – which was constructed to house books from the Louka Convent in South Moravia – joining it around a hundred years later. After communists seized the abbey in 1950, it became the Memorial to National Literature, although the library, along with other parts of the complex, was renewed and restored following the Velvet Revolution.Halmstad City Library, Halmstad, SwedenNature was a key inspiration for the sleek City Library in Halmstad, Sweden, as Copenhagen-based architects schmidt hammer lassen designed what is fundamentally a unique open area that interacts with the surrounding foliage. Completed in 2006, its columns are intended to visually communicate with the nearby trees, with the atrium curving around a sizable chestnut on the site. The library’s transparent glass and concrete façade allows visitors a glimpse at its facilities, which include a café and exhibition space. Meanwhile, its grass roof adds to the verdure but also acts as eco-friendly insulation while minimizing drainage needs.Altenburg Abbey, AustriaThis Rococo library (1742) was designed by Josef Muggenast to deliberately exaggerate the size of the collection; there are only nine bookcases housed in the library.Melk Abbey Library, Melk, AustriaThe library at Melk Abbey in Austria was paid tribute to by Umberto Eco in the author’s famous murder mystery novel The Name of the Rose, and given the immense beauty of the place, it’s perhaps easy to see how it could have inspired such an honor. Chief among its prettiest features is the ornate, richly colored ceiling fresco by Austrian painter Paul Troger that represents Faith. Elsewhere, wooden sculptures symbolize the tetrad of faculties, Philosophy, Jurisprudence, Theology and Medicine. Approximately 90,000 volumes are contained within the lovely-looking facility, not to mention many medieval manuscripts and 850 incunables, making it historically important as well.Admont Abbey Library, Admont, AustriaLocated in the foothills of the Alps, this beautiful library is the second largest monastery library in the world. The library hall was designed in the late Baroque style by the architect Joseph Hueber in 1776 with a nearly 230-foot-long hall that contains 200,000 volumes.The ceilings were painted by Bartolomeo Altomonte and show the stages of human knowledge, up to the high point of Divine Revelation.Galway-Mayo Institute Of Technology Library, Galway, IrelandDublin architects de Blacam & Meagher used a progressive technique to design the attention-grabbing building that houses the library at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in western Ireland, as the dynamic thermal modeling technology employed in its development was still in its infancy at the time. The elaborate sails on the exterior aren’t just aesthetically pleasing, but also serve a useful purpose, since they let in daylight while shielding the interior from too much sunshine. This reduces the need for mechanized climate control systems, cutting expenses and making the library – which contains 600 reader spaces – more eco friendly.Trinity College Library, Dublin, IrelandFamed for its 'Long Room,' the library of Trinity College library is home to the largest collection of books in Ireland.The over 200-foot-long main room is covered in marble and dark wood pilasters. When it was first completed, the 'Long Room' had a flat ceiling, but the roof was raised to accommodate more books.The Royal Portuguese Library, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilBuilt in the 19th century, this gorgeous rooms is home to over 350,000 works - and the largest collection of Portuguese works outside of Portugal.The library is known for its Neo-Manueline design, which "evokes the Gothic-Renaissance style that flourished during the time of the Portuguese Discoveries," according to My Modern Met.The room is completely covered in books, many of them rare works dating back to the 16th century. It's the perfect destination for anyone who loves to be surrounded by beautiful books.National Library of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilApproximately nine million items are contained in the National Library of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. Ranking seventh in size amongst all other libraries around the world, it features a 19th-century collection of tens of thousands of photographs that, due to their significance, are on the register of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. The fantastically ornate building has its origins in an earthquake that took place in Lisbon in 1755, which led to a lot of the collections contained within the Portuguese city’s Royal Library being transported all the way to Brazil. The South American facility was founded in 1810, but its current incarnation – which showcases elements of the neoclassical and Art Nouveau styles – was inaugurated exactly a century later.Braddock Carnegie Library, USAThe first Carnegie library in the U.S., this library was designed in an eclectic medieval style by William Halsey Wood and opened in Pennsylvania in 1889. Only 5 years later, it received a Romanesque-styled addition, doubling the size of the building. At the time, it featured a variety of entertainment options, including billiards tables on the first floor, a music hall, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool. Additionally, it held a bathhouse in the basement so mill workers could take a shower before accessing the facilities. These days, the bathhouse is a pottery studio, but the tiled floors and walls remain.Indianapolis Public Library, USAThis Indiana library manages to balance old and new influences in a refreshingly unique manner. The original building, completed in 1917, is located in the front of the complex, while a massive, modernized addition from 2007 sits in the background. The first building was designed in the Greek Doric style and is often called one of the most outstanding architectural libraries in the U.S. The addition is just about as modern as can be, with glass and wood paneling throughout the building, and the 6-story, 293,000 square foot tower provides even more space for books and reading rooms.Jay Walker's Private Library, USAJay Walker's gorgeous wooden library, filled with an array of historical and pop culture artifacts, has been labeled by Wired as "the most amazing library in the world.” As if the gorgeous etched glass, labyrinthine design and multiple stories of book shelves weren’t impressive enough, the collection of rarities stored in the library is completely mesmerizing. Between books bound in rubies, a Sputnik, a chandelier from Die Another Day, and a list of plague mortalities from 1665, visitors to the private library might just have a hard time leaving.Kansas City Central Library, Kansas City, Missouri, USAThe enormous bookshelf that makes up part of the Kansas City Central Library was the brainchild of architects CDFM2 – now national firm 360 Architecture. The feature acts as a major focal point of the building as well as providing a big clue as to what’s inside. Named the “Community Bookshelf,” it skirts the south side of the library’s parking lot, and its 22 titles – constructed from signboard mylar and standing some 25 feet tall – were suggested by avid local bookworms. Two of its volumes even offer a nod to the area’s history. The Community Bookshelf was completed in 2004, the same year the Central Library found its current home.James B. Hunt Jr. Library, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USAOslo-based architectural firm Snohetta made its mark in Raleigh in early 2013 with the opening of North Carolina State University’s James B. Hunt Jr. Library. The designers teamed up with local architectsPearce Brinkley Cease & Lee (now merged with Clark Nexsen) to develop the glimmering wonder, which is arguably as eco-minded as it is attractive. Thirty-one percent of the materials used in the library’s construction are recycled in origin, lighting is natural or solar energy based, and the majority of the timber was taken from sustainable forests. Both the facility’s green features and design have wowed industry insiders, and the striking structure was honored with an American Institute of Architects/American Library Association Library Building Award in 2013.Joe And Rika Mansueto Library, University Of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USAThe University of Chicago’s Joe and Rika Mansueto Library has been given the nickname “The Egg,” owing in part to its distinctive oval shape. Local architectural firm Murphy/Jahn came up with an innovative solution to fitting the library into an already crowded campus: it plunges 55 feet underground. There’s space for 3.5 million volumes inside the library, with one million of them contained in metal bins and archival racks as part of the facility’s state-of-the-art automated retrieval system. Meanwhile, thanks to the domed transparent glass roof, light streams through to the reading room, yet solar heat and excessive UV rays are kept largely at bay.Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago, Illinois, USAWhile it may be a bit of an eye-catcher, the giant, ten-story public Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago was sympathetically designed by local architects Hammond, Beeby and Babka – now HBRA Architects – to echo the sensibility of other buildings in the city, like the 19th-century Rookery. The local firm combined Beaux-Arts features such as the building’s granite bottom and attractive red brick, although its decorative elements are more Mannerist in style. The library itself was completed in 1991, but two years later it was given another arresting feature through its Kent Bloomer-designed aluminum acroteria – figures of wise owls and seed pods, the latter a nod to the Midwest’s agricultural tradition.Cerritos Millenium Library, Cerritos, California, USACerritos’ Millennium Library is pioneering in more than one way. As well as being the USA’s first building to be covered with titanium paneling, it has also been termed the first “Experience Library,” because the facility puts a spotlight on fascinating themed areas, stunning art and interesting architecture. There is a children’s library that incorporates a marine aquarium with coral and sharks, while for the more grown-up scholar, the Old World Reading Room is inspired by 19th-century European design and is outfitted with chandeliers and a fireplace. Californian architects Charles Walton Associates were responsible for the sleek and shining addition to the city, and the building was finished in 2002.University Of California San Diego Geisel Library, San Diego, California, USAThe Geisel Library at the University of California San Diego takes its name from the celebrated writer Theodor Seuss Geisel – better known as Dr. Seuss – and his wife Audrey. The literary pair was honored in this way for contributions to the library and their commitment to bettering literacy. The eight-story, 110-foot structure is an arresting example of the brutalist style and was designed towards the end of the 1960s by notable future-focused American architect William Pereira. Urban legends related to the building abound, one of which states that the library is sinking as a result of its contents, although this has been categorically denied by the facility’s staff.George Peabody Library, Baltimore, USAThe Peabody Library was funded by the the philanthropist George Peabody. Peabody built the library as a gift to the citizens of Baltimore for their kindness and hospitality.Designed by 19th-century architect Edmund Lind, Peabody is known for its interior that has a soaring atrium. The five stories of cast-iron balconies are filled to the brim with books, and the skylight roof showers the library in natural light.The National Library of ChileFeaturing a similar style to the National Library of Brazil, this beautiful building was designed in 1913 and completed in 1925 with a neoclassical design meant to commemorate the country’s centenary anniversary. Aside from housing the National Library, the building serves as headquarters to the country’s National Archives.The St. Florian Monastery Library, Linz-Land District, AustriaThe library’s interior is a masterwork of Baroque architecture with elaborate carved-wood bookcases and balustrades with gilded details. A ceiling fresco by Bartolomeo Altomonte, completed in 1747, presents allegorical subjects who watch over the great room from the clouds.The National Library of France, Paris, FranceThe National Library of France has mushroomed in recent years, thanks to an expansion and partial move to newly completed premises in 1996. However, the origins of the institution – which now contains an astonishing 30 million items – date back to the 14th century and the royal library established at the Louvre by King Charles V. The library relocated to its still operating Rue de Richelieu site in 1868, with major design work carried out by French architects Henri Labrouste and, following his death, Jean-Louis Pascal. Here, the circular reading rooms are elegance itself, with the Salle de Travail featuring nine domes sitting on columns said to echo Ottoman architecture. There are more than just books to be found there, too: the chess set of the 9th-century King Charlemagne is one of the library’s more unique pieces.The National Library of the Netherlands, The Hague, NetherlandsThe Handelingenkamer library may belong to the Dutch Parliament, but its eye-catching Renaissance design – courtesy of government building architect C.H. Peters – was actually creatively influenced by the aesthetics of China. This can be seen in its red, green and gold color scheme as well as the dragonheads dotting the walls and the shapes formed by the ironwork. The library’s distinctive spiral staircase is an attractive way to access the three upper levels of books. Meanwhile, the leaded glass dome roof imbues the interior with natural light and helps ensure that whichever of the tens of thousands of books visitors peruse, they can see and read it with ease during the day.Delft University of Technology Library, NetherlandsWhile modern architecture can often be fascinating, it rarely stands up to more classical designs in terms of beauty. The Delft University of Technology library is a rare exception. With a massive skylight in the ceiling that becomes a steel cone after escaping the confines of the library, and an eco-friendly grass-covered roof, the library is both stunning and totally modern.Austrian National Library, Vienna, AustriaMinerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, stands guard over this commanding baroque library, dating from 1723. The sumptuous interior is fit for royalty—which makes sense, as this was the palace library until 1920, when it became a possession of the state. It may take you time to focus on the books, given the frescoes and gilt adorning the main hall. Don’t miss the Globe Museum: it includes terrestrial and celestial globes made before 1850. Open seven days.Mafra National Palace Library, Mafra, Portugalhe library at Portugal’s Mafra National Palace, as well as the rest of the amazing Baroque/Neoclassical complex, might never have existed – as King John V promised only to build it if his wife bore him children. Fortunately, she did and, true to the king’s word, Mafra National Palace was completed by 1730. More than 35,000 leather-bound volumes – some over 500 years old – line the walls of the lovely Rococo library, which was designed by Portuguese architect Manuel Caetano de Sousa. Interesting, these tomes are preserved by bats, which are let out at night to feed on insects that might put the library’s treasures in jeopardy.The Joanina Library, Coimbra, PortugalThe ornate 1717 Biblioteca Joanina is a baroque fantasy of exotic carved wood, intricate arches, and gilded patterns. Be sure to look up to the ceiling for art by Antonio Simões Ribeiro and Vicente Nunes. And keep an eye out for the Chinese motifs on the gilded and lacquered wooden bookshelves. One of the most beautiful buildings in Coimbra’s university complex, it also has a darker side. It’s perhaps the only library with its own prison, where scholars and students were once confined (follow the steps down from the main floor). And at night, a small colony of resident bats comes out from behind a painting to feast on manuscript-munching pests. Hours vary.Wiblinglen Abbey Library, Ulm, GermanyIf there’s anything to be taken from this list, it’s that if you want to find a truly stunning library, a visit to a monastery probably won’t disappoint. Even amid some stiff competition, the facility in the north wing at Germany’s Wiblingen Abbey is perhaps one of the most spellbinding of its kind in the world. Franz Martin Kühn’s gorgeous ceiling paintings top a brightly colored, ornately decorated space that was designed by Christian Wiedemann and is deservedly said to be renowned throughout southern Germany for its Rococo style. It was completed in 1744.Philological Library, Free University Of Berlin, Berlin, GermanyThe Faculty of Philology library at Berlin’s Free University is arguably at its most attractive by night, when interior lighting glows through its transparent partitions to create a checkerboard effect. This four-story structure is the brainchild of world-famous global firm Foster + Partners. The architects’ bulbous, aluminum and glazed-panel creation encourages light-imbued spaces – ideal for study – through the sinuous layout of its floors, which subside or expand in relation to the area above. The distinctive shape of the library, which was completed in 2005, has inspired its nickname: apparently, some call it “the Berlin brain.”Braunschweig University of Art Library, Braunschweig, GermanyThe stunning, glass-fronted cube that houses the Braunschweig University of Art’s library shows what can be done with a bit of recycling and a lot of ingenuity. Completed in 2002, the structure took materials from the Mexican pavilion at the Expo 2000 World’s Fair, which was staged in the German city of Hanover. The pavilion’s creator, AIA Gold Medal-winning Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, worked in conjunction with the Braunschweig branch of KSP Engel & Zimmermann (now KSP Jürgen Engel) to design the building, which also contains a red cube inside – tilted in relation to the exterior sheath – that accommodates its books.Brandenburg University Of Technology Library, Cottbus, GermanyHerzog & de Meuron achieved international recognition with their famed design for the Tate Modern in London, and the Swiss firm excelled again with the conception of the library at Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus, Germany. Rather fittingly for a building that houses many words, its skin is covered with myriad lettering in various alphabets and languages. Inside, it’s considerably more vibrant, with storage spaces, ceilings and shelves that are almost kaleidoscopic in their hues. The structure, which was completed in 2004, stands at just under 105 feet in height and features seven levels above ground plus two below.Stuttgart Municipal Library, Stuttgart, GermanyThis cube-shaped, nine-story library takes its design from the Pantheon of ancient Rome, according to Designboom.The aim of the library was to create a continuum inside of the room, so the entire room is painted in uniform pure-white. The only color in the building comes from the books themselves.University of Iowa Law Library, Des Moines, USAIowa’s State Capitol Law Library at Des Moines is one beautiful building in which we wouldn’t mind getting lost. The splendid space, which was fashioned in the Renaissance style in the 1880s, connects its five levels with elaborately detailed cast-iron spiral stairs and features interiors in chestnut and ash woods. Its marble flooring and walls, chandeliers, periodicals, case book materials and stacks of bookcases – through which one can browse the library’s collection of treatises – collectively create an atmosphere of learned opulence. American architects John C. Cochrane and Alfred H. Piquenard were responsible for its design as well as that of the rest of the State Capitol.Science Library, Görlitz, GermanyThe Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, New Haven, USAThe Beineck Rare Book & Manuscript Library is the literary archive of the Yale University Library, and is the largest building in the world devoted to the preservation of rare books and documents. The entire library is shaped around the massive display in the center.The library's building is iconic because of its incredible Vermont marble, granite, bronze, and glass 'windows' that were designed to filter in enough light so that rare materials can be displayed without damage, according to ArchDaily. From the outside, the building looks as if it is completely solid.The Beineck's vast collection includes a Gutenberg Bible.French Senate Library, Paris, FranceFrederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Library in Vassar College, USAThis massive Gothic structure consists of three wings and a central tower, and now houses around a million books, 7500 periodicals, and a massive microfilm and microfiche collection. While the main tower is quite striking, the most famous part of the library is the enormous stained glass window in the West Wing showing Elena Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman to earn a doctorate in Europe, receiving her degree from the University of Padua.The New York Public Library, New York, USAThe New York Public Library has nearly 53 million items, and is the third largest library in the world. The incredible Beaux-Arts landmark was one of the largest marble structures in the US when it was built.The Rose Main Reading Room of the library stretches nearly two city blocks. The reading room measures 297 feet long by 87 feet wide, and has 42 long oak tables for visitors to sit in.Walker Library, Minneapolis, USAVennesla Library, Vennesla, NorwayThis library in Norway is made of a series of arcs, or "ribs," that support the roof. The concept of the building comes from the ribs of a whale skeleton."In this project, we developed a rib concept to create usable hybrid structures that combine a timber construction with all technical devices and the interior," architects Helen & Hard told ArchDaily.Mazarine Library, Paris, FranceLibrary of St. John’s College, Cambridge, BritainThe Library of Congress, Washington, USAWhen the original library burned down in 1814, Thomas Jefferson seeded a new one with his own much broader collection of books. Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, stands guard in mosaic form above the main reading room, and scrolls, books, and torches pop up throughout the Library of Congress. Highlights include the main reading room, the Gutenberg Bible (one of 42 left in the world), and free classical concerts. Open Monday to Saturday.Library of the Technical University, Iassi, RomaniaLibrary of Sárospatak Reformed College, Sárospatak, HungaryThe National Library of China, BeijingIf you’re looking for info on China’s ancient history, the National Library of China’s old buildings might be a good place to start. They serve as the home to a vast array of historical and ancient books and manuscripts—even inscribed tortoise shells. And though the buildings themselves are designed in a traditional Chinese style, they were only completed in 1987.The Tianyi Pavilion Library, ChinaIf you're looking for real traditional Chinese architecture, you’ll need to leave Beijing and head over to Ningbo City—home to the oldest private library in Asia. Built in 1560 by a retired imperial minister, Tianyi Pavilion Library is the third oldest private library in the world. As you might expect, the collection is rather impressive: 300,000 ancient books, including a number of woodcut and handwritten titles.National Library of BhutanCompleted in 1984, the National Library of Bhutan is also technically a Buddhist temple, and the structure is intended to integrate the three aspects of Buddha and his teachings: the physical represented by statues and paintings, the speech represented by books and printing blocks, and the heart represented by the eight small bowls found on the shrine on the first floor. The library is home to about 6100 Tibetan and Bhutanese books, manuscripts and xylographs, and about 9000 printing boards and wood printing blocks. While the collection isn’t massive, it is one of the largest collections of Buddhist literature in the world.The Royal Library Of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, DenmarkCompleted in 1999, the 'Black Diamond' was built as an extension to the national library of Denmark. The neo-modern library gets its name from its polished black granite and irregular angles.The library's harsh exterior is interrupted by an atrium made from only glass. This glass atrium makes the interior of the building an incredible space that is full of light and views of the water, which makes for a really gorgeous reading environment.Nakanoshima Library, JapanThis Neo-Baroque design might not be something you’d immediately associate with Japan, but the 1904 Nakanoshima Library actually fits in quite well in Osaka, as the area has quite a few other stone-walled buildings with similar architecture. This building, complete with a copper roof dome (not visible in the exterior image above), is certainly one of the most stunning.Shiba Ryotaro Memorial Museum Library, Osaka, JapanDesigned by Tadao Ando, the museum is home to the 20,000 books collected during his lifetime by the historical novelist Shiba Ryotaro.Tama Art University Library in Tokyo, JapanIn 2007 the Tokyo architecture world was privy to a spectacular new addition in the form of the library for Tama Art University, designed by local architects Toyo Ito & Associates. Its signature concrete and steel arches were haphazardly positioned but are there for good reason: in addition to providing the structure with its arresting appearance, they aim to give the sense that the slanted floor and front garden continue right into the building. Students can browse books or study beneath the arches, enjoy music or movies in the “temporary theater,” and even take shelter and read magazines while waiting for the bus that stops outside.Musashino Art University Library in Tokyo, JapanJapanese architect Sou Fujimoto designed the library to be the simplest library in the world, made from only bookcases and a glass exterior. The 20-foot high walls are made from bookshelves, and are only interrupted by bridge-like reading areas.Fujimoto tells arcspace that the only things you need to make a library are "books, shelves, light, and beautiful places."Boston Public Library in Boston, Massachusetts, USAThe Boston Public Library contains roughly 23 million items, making it the second-largest public library in the US. The library is known for its incredible courtyard, Italian-inspired architecture, entrance atrium, and its quintessential library reading room: Bates Hall.The Bates Hall of the library is named after Joshua Bates, the library's first benefactor. In 1852, Bates agree to donate a large sum to the building of the library with a few conditions: that the building would be an ornament to the city and that it be perfectly free for everyone.Codrington Library, All Souls College, Oxford, UKThe library at All Souls was designed by Hawksmoor, though he did not live to see the building completed.The Codrington Library of Oxford University was completed in 1751 and has been used by scholars ever since. In the late 1990s, the building underwent a massive renovation in order to provide better protection for the books and to make the library more user friendly with better wiring and some new electronic work stations.Picton Reading Room, Liverpool Central Library, UKJohn Rylands Library in Manchester, UKPalafoxiana Library, MexicoEstablished in 1646, this Puebla library was the first public library in Mexico; some even argue that it was the first library in the Americas. It is now listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register and its 41,000 books and manuscripts include an array of rare and antique titles.Jose Vasconcelos Library in Mexico City, MexicoDesigned by architect Alberto Kalach, the library is a concrete and glass structure. The bookshelves look as if they are hovering in midair, and a giant whale skeleton hangs in the center of the library.The library is named after Jose Vasconcelos, who was a philosopher and politician. Vasconcelos was an important cultural figure in Mexico and an active promoter of reading.Unam Central Library,Mexico City, MexicoThe splendid Central Library is arguably the jewel in the crown of the Ciudad Universitaria campus at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City. Completed in 1952, the building – designed by Gustavo Saavedra and Juan Martínez de Velasco – holds approximately 400,000 books. However, it is perhaps best known for its exterior murals, which were crafted by Mexican architect and painter Juan O’Gorman and cover the ten-story building in a mosaic that recounts the history of the country. Perhaps surprisingly, none of the murals are painted; O’Gorman journeyed through Mexico to find the brightly colored stones of which they’re made.Liyuan Library in Beijing, ChinaLocated in a small village outside of Beijing, the single-story library blends into its forest surroundings. The library is made from timber beams and its exterior is covered in sticks, according to dezeen. The light of the library comes from the cracks in the twig frame.The building may be covered in firewood but it has a very advanced integrated cooling system that draws in cold air from the lake it sits on. The library is also completely eco-friendly and made from all recyclable material.Plus, it looks like an incredibly cozy place to sit and read a book.Alexandria Library in Alexandria, EgyptThe original library of Alexandria was established in the third century B.C., and was one of largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world. When it was destroyed in the third century A.D., there were countless scrolls and books that were lost.The new library of Alexandria was built in 2002 to pay homage to the openness of the original library. Built by Snohetta architects, the building is designed like a sundial and tilts towards the Mediterranean Sea.Fisher Fine Arts Library, University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaVictorian-era American architect Frank Furness was responsible for the design of the University of Pennsylvania’s stunning Fisher Fine Arts Library, which was completed in 1890 and was built in the Venetian Gothic style. Its smart red brick exterior recalls the look of Philadelphia factories of the period. Meanwhile, a touch of literary flair is added through the Shakespeare inscriptions in the windows, which were selected by Furness’ brother, a distinguished scholar of the Bard’s work. The building has received praise from none other than acclaimed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who described it as “the work of an artist.” It is now a National Historic Landmark.The Armstrong-Browning Library at Baylor University, USAPhilanthropist Dr. A.J. Armstrong wanted to create the “most beautiful building in Texas,” and the end result was this 3-story, Italian Renaissance-styled masterpiece adorned with 62 stained glass windows, massive marble columns and intricate ceiling designs. Armstrong justified the expense by pointing out that the “compelling beauty” of the building might be able to inspire someone enough that "if we by that means give the world another Dante, another Shakespeare, another Browning, we shall count the cost a bargain."Morgan Library, USAConstructed in 1906, this amazing New York landmark was originally built as the personal library and museum space for financier Pierpont Morgan’s impressive collection of rare books, manuscripts, drawings, artifacts and prints. After Pierpont’s death, his grandson, J.P. Morgan, Jr., opened the library to the public in 1924.Central Library in Seattle, Washington, USAFirst opened in 2004, the 11-story glass and steel building in downtown Seattle was designed to be a reinvention of the traditional library. The contemporary building is not only a space dedicated to books, but is also an access point for all forms of media.Designed by Rem Koolhass, the building combines "futuristic lines with the functionality of a library." The interior of the building is notable for its large public spaces and natural light.Grand People’s Study House, North KoreaThe Study House was completed 1982 in honor of Kim Il-Sung’s 70th birthday and features an amazing 600 rooms with capacity for 30 million books. Of course, being housed in North Korea, foreign publications are only available with special permission, so it will probably be a while before all the shelves are full.Haeinsa Temple Library, Gyeongsangnam-do, South KoreaIn the remote Buddhist monastery of Haeinsa is preserved the Tripitaka Koreana, the most complete corpus of Buddhist doctrinal texts in the world, dating from 1251.National Library Of Sejong City, Sejong City, South KoreaInternational firm S.A.M.O.O. Architects & Engineers designed the swooping façade of the National Library of Sejong City to evoke a book page that has been turned over. Its designers dub the four-story structure with room for over three million books an “e-brary,” to reflect its mix of digital and analog facilities. Yet while inside it’s packed with conference and seminar spaces, a dining area and masses of information, its exterior hasn’t been neglected and features sculptures, trees and a book-themed park. The innovative library opened its doors in late 2013.Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, UKEvery element in the library of the Glasgow School of Art (1909) was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who had taken evening classes in architecture at the university in 1883.Sir Duncan Rice Library in Aberdeen, United KingdomThe Sir Duncan Rice Library is the new library of the University of Aberdeen. The library incorporates 21st-century design, and has a huge spiraling atrium in its center.The library gained a lot of attention for the range of sustainable features that were included in its design. The spiraling atrium lights up all eight floors - the building also has photovoltaic cells on its roof to convert the energy of light directly into electricity.Sainte-Genevieve Library in Paris, FranceThe Sainte-Genevieve library is the main research and reference library for the students of the University of Paris.Constructed in the mid-19th century by the famed architect Henri Labrouste, the library is well-known for its cast iron column reading room. The MoMA even described the library as a "temple of knowledge and a space for contemplation."Kanazawa Umimirai Library in Kanazawa City, JapanThis three-story library in Japan is designed like a "cake box," with large white hole-punched windows that light up the space. The library is meant to be a tranquil room, and the "punching walls" are meant to make it look like a forest of books."This environment would allow users to experience the joy of reading while surrounded by a treasure trove of books with a overwhelming physical presence, something that the convenience of electronic and digital books cannot offer," the architects told ArchDaily.Bodleian Library, Oxford, EnglandOriginally opened in 1602, the University of Oxford’s Bodleian Library certainly isn’t short on history. And after four centuries’ worth of expansions, the principal library and its satellite buildings now hold some 11 million printed items. One of those buildings, the Radcliffe Camera, is a neoclassical circular structure designed by James Gibbs in 1749 that has become an icon of Oxford’s campus.Library Of Parliament, Ottawa, CanadaSince 1876, The Parliament of Canada has had a suitably grand building in which to store its resources. The attractive, elaborate Victorian High Gothic structure of Ottawa’s Library of Parliament owes its design to Canadian architects Chilion Jones and Thomas Fuller. Its multicolored appearance – referred to as structural polychromy – is down to a mix of materials, including green and purple bands of slate and red Potsdam sandstone. The three-tiered roof crowned with a cupola adds to the majestic effect; and so too do the stone carvings in friezes and floral motifs on the exterior, as well as the 16 flying buttresses.Central Public Library, Vancouver, CanadaArchitect Moshe Safdie’s creation resembles a modern-day Colosseum. You enter the Central Library through a huge skylit concourse, which contains shops and cafés and acts as an urban gathering point. Bridges inside the library connect to reading and study areas in the outer walls. Plans are under way to reclaim two of the building’s top floors from other tenants in order to expand the rooftop garden and make it accessible to the public. Open seven days a week.Bristol Central Library, Bristol, UKThis library, completed in 1906, is fascinating for its unique combination of architectural styles. The front exterior was designed in Tudor Revival and Modern Movement styles in order to allow it to harmonize with the next-door Abbey Gatehouse. It was built on a slope, and the front of the building is only three stories tall, but thanks to the two basement levels built into the hill, the back of the building has five stories. Inside, the design is mostly Classical, featuring ample arches, marble flooring and a stunning turquoise glass mosaic at the entrance hall.The Peckham Library, South LondonThe London district of Peckham received a colorful new feature in 2000 with the arrival of its public library. The now-separated Anglo-German architectural practice Alsop and Störmer rose to the challenge of the structure’s brief, which called for “a thoroughly modern building that is ahead of its time” and which would give the area a “psychological boost.” The library has proven popular with Peckham residents, but its striking mix of primary-hued glass, copper, and steel weave apparently appealed to those in the know, too, as it was awarded the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize for architectural excellence in the same year it opened, with competition judges stating, “This is a building to make you smile: more architecture should do that.”Sendai Mediatheque, Miyagi Prefecture, JapanBiblioteca Malatestiana (also known as Malatesta Novello Library), Cesena, ItalyThe Malatesta Library is the oldest library in the Western world to retain its original fittings and collection; it takes its name from a local tyrant, Malatesta Novello, who paid for it and oversaw its building between 1447 and 1452. The position of each book is fixed; the reader goes to the book rather than the book being brought by or to the reader.Mediatheque Sandro Penna, Perugia, ItalyA glance at the Mediatheque Sandro Penna may lead one to believe that an alien craft has crash-landed in the Italian city of Perugia. However, this space-age building, completed in 2004, is actually the work of Milan-based architects Studio Italo Rota. Its pink glass exterior glows at night, and its namesake – the Perugia-born poet Sandro Penna – is given a tribute through excerpts of his writings that cover the see-through panels of the façade at the entrance. Inside, there’s also a touch of color courtesy of furnishings in the children’s area and couches, while sound insulation helps create an environment perfect for reading and study.Angelica Library, Rome, ItalyNational Library, BelarusRijksmuseum Research Library, AmsterdamVillanueva Public Library, Villanueva, ColombiaPerhaps the most famous of Colombia’s new libraries is the Villanueva Public Library, which was constructed using not only locally sourced materials, but also by the people of the village. Stones were gathered from nearby rivers and sustainable wood from nearby forests, and local people were trained to help construct the building. The design, created by four nearby college students, focuses on natural ventilation and plenty of shade to keep the interior nice and cool. All of these cost-cutting measures went a long way in helping a truly impoverished area secure a much-needed library.The Media Library and Cultural Centre, Lisses, FranceThe Los Angeles Central Library in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe interior of the Los Angeles Public Library is truly awe-inspiring, thanks in no small part to Dean Cornwell’s colorful lobby mural, which represents the history of California in four sections and was completed in the early 1930s. The original building, opened in 1926, was designed by distinguished Neo-Gothic architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, who chose to imbue the work with ancient Egyptian-influenced elements such as the mosaic pyramid at the top along with Mediterranean Revival-style features. However, a renovation and expansion in the late 1980s and early 1990s also gave it a Modernist/Beaux-Arts look.Hearst Castle Gothic Study, USAHearst Castle is one of the most famous buildings in California, but most tour groups miss the opportunity to explore the second story of the building, which includes a massive guest library and a cozier gothic library and study. This room also played a vital role in Hearst’s life, as the mogul preferred to use this room as his executive board room, doing business here whenever possible.Skywalker Ranch Library, USAIf you ever happen to get access to California's Skywalker Ranch, make sure you get a chance to look at the library, which is crowned with a 40-foot stained glass dome that allows employees and guests of Lucas Studios to enjoy their reading in natural light.Suzzallo Library of the University of Washington, USAThis Collegiate Gothic building was completed in 1923 and among its many impressive details are 18 terra-cotta figures set atop the buttresses featuring academic heroes such as Louis Pasteur, Dante, Shakespeare, Plato, Benjamin Franklin, Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Gutenberg, Beethoven, Darwin, and more. Inside, a series of shields depict the coats of arms from many top universities around the world, including Yale, Oxford, Stanford and Uppsala. While the library is home to many rare volumes, the most famous item in its collection is one of the world’s largest, a photo book of Bhutan by Michael Hawley. Library staff turn the pages about once a month so interested viewers can slowly enjoy the entire work from front to back—assuming they visit regularly.Stockholm Public Library, SwedenAmsterdam Public LibraryOld Market Library, Min Buri, BangkokTaipei Public Library, Beitou Branch,TaiwanWith its rooftop gardens, park setting, and airy, sunlit interior, the Beitou Branch feels like an oasis in the midst of skyscraper-filled Taipei. The eco-friendly library, which has won numerous awards since its 2006 opening, features water reclamation, solar panels, and natural ventilation. It’s a green space that is also gorgeous and invites visitors to curl up with a book on open-air balconies. Open seven days a week.Marciana Library, VeniceThe Renaissance-era Marciana is one of the earliest surviving libraries in Italy; construction began in 1537 and continued for more than 50 years. Works by Venetian artists like Alessandro Vittoria, Titian, and Tintoretto adorn the walls and ceilings. The library counts more than 750,000 books, 13,000 manuscripts, and 24,000 prints in its collection, many of which were the result of a 1603 law that required printers to donate one copy of every book published to the library. English-language tours are available on request.Library of Birmingham, EnglandBirmingham’s new library, composed of a stack of four rectangular blocks (offset to create terraces), makes an ultramodern first impression. The façade nods to the city’s jewelry quarter with a pattern of 5,357 metal rings. One of its treasures is the more traditional wood-paneled Shakespeare Memorial Room. Originally built in 1882, it was painstakingly reassembled on the top floor to house the library’s Shakespeare collection, which includes copies of the Bard’s first editions. The Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai was on hand to officially open the library in September 2013. Open daily.Abbey Library Of Saint Gall, St. Gallen, SwitzerlandIts wide-ranging collection of manuscripts – some of which date back to the 8th century – helps make the facility at the Abbey of Saint Gall in St. Gallen, Switzerland one of the most significant monastic libraries on the planet. Along with the rest of the abbey, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for being “a perfect example of a great Carolingian monastery.” With its areas of magnificently carved wood, paint and stucco, Austrian architect Peter Thumb’s opulent Rococo hall is said to be Switzerland’s superlative example of Baroque design. All of this makes visiting to peruse any of its 160,000-plus volumes a pleasure.Monastery of San Francisco Library, Lima, PeruThe Monastery of San Francisco in Lima adds a welcome dash of brightness and beauty to the Peruvian capital city. The monastery was finished in 1774, and although it was significantly damaged in an earthquake that struck in 1970, it remains an eye-catching instance of Spanish Baroque architecture, with an entrance carved of granite that has gone on to impact the design of other holy buildings. Around 25,000 texts of some vintage can be found in the famous library here, including a Bible that dates back to around 1571 and a copy of the earliest Spanish dictionary issued by the Royal Spanish Academy.Home of Peruvian Literature, PeruIf you think the architecture of this building looks familiar, that’s because it was a commonly used design for train stations around the early 1900s. As for why this library looks like a train station, well, that’s simple—it used to be one. In fact, it wasn’t converted into a library until 2009. In an effort to get more of the country’s citizens to read and to support the country’s artists and writers, the library features over 20,000 works, mostly written by or about native Peruvians.Public Library of Lima, PeruThe previous home to the National Library of Peru, the Public Library of Lima was completed in the 1940s with a small addition completed in 1974. It's been declared a historical monument by the country’s National Institute of Culture. The main gallery features marble floors and stairs, sculptures of the library’s founders, and gorgeous high ceilings.National Library, Costa RicaWith a massive upside-down arch above a glass window and concrete levels sandwiching a fragile-looking glass central story, the National Library of Costa Rica is quite striking. It still appears modern despite being over 40 years old. Unfortunately, the location has been subject to a number of earthquakes, leading to a number of closures over the years.Virgilio Barco Library, ColombiaIf you are a fan of modern architectural design, then you’ll really love what Colombia has created in the last decade or so. Famed architect Rogelio Salmona designed this library, completed in 2001. Featuring red brick walls, blue water pools and green lawns, this creative design looks like a maze of colors housing a labyrinth of books inside.Spanish Park Library, ColombiaThe Parque Biblioteca España stands out from its native Santo Domingo more than any other library on this list. That’s because the striking modernist design of its three boulder-like structures stands in stark contrast to the simple homes of the neighborhood around them. The architect designed the building, specifically its odd windows, as a way to help the impoverished community imagine bigger and better things, says architect Giancarlo Mazzanti. “We wanted to take people from this poor community into another place and change their reality.”EPM Library, ColombiaDesigned like an upside-down pyramid, the EPM library, completed in 2005, may be a unique architectural feat, but its best-known feature remains the odd forest of white columns located just outside. Even so, the 107,000 square foot interior is quite beautiful, particularly the strikingly angled walls.Raza Library, IndiaThe Raza Library in Rampur was completed in 1904, and was once part of a palace. While many of the royal family’s other properties have been left to crumble, the library is still protected by the Indian government—another one of the country’s few protected monuments. The royal family started gathering works for the library way back in 1774. Included in their collection are 17,000 rare manuscripts, 205 hand-written palm leaves and 5000 miniature paintings.David Sassoon Library, IndiaCompleted in 1870, the David Sassoon Library is one of only 145 monuments protected by India’s government, and the oldest library in Mumbai. One of its most famous features is the beautiful garden in the back—a rare sight in the commercial area in which it is located.The library and reading room were originally intended to be an entire institute dedicated to mechanics, science and technology, but funding ran short. The Sassoon Mechanic’s Institute was renamed the David Sassoon Library and Reading Room after its primary donor.Connemara Public Library, Chennai, IndiaPart of a cultural complex that includes a theater, a museum, and an art gallery, Connemara Public Library was established in 1896. It continues to receive copies of all books, periodicals, and newspapers published in India. Designed by H. Irvin, the consulting architect to the government of the time, the majestic building has a circular entrance that opens into a stately reading room with an elaborately decorated ceiling, teak balconies, and stained-glass windows. Open weekdays and Sunday.Victorian Parliamentary Library, AustraliaThe Parliament House was built in stages, starting in 1855, and the library was one of the first things completed after the Legislative Assembly and Council. While construction continued all the way through 1929, the building’s Roman Revival design is fluent and smooth, so the whole thing seems like one single entity rather than a series of extra wings tagged on throughout the years.Barr Smith Library at the University of Adelaide, AustraliaIn 1927, the last heir to a prominent philanthropic Australian family offered £20,000 to the University of Adelaide for a new library, on the condition that it be named after his father, Robert Barr Smith. The red brick library was completed in 1932, complete with two friezes commemorating the donations of the Barr Smiths. Since the collection expanded quite quickly, addition after addition had to be added. These days, the library holds over two million volumes and now spans over almost 21,000 square meters.University of Otago Central Library, New ZealandThere are ten different libraries at the University of Otago, and when it comes to looks and impressive collections, the Central Library stands above the rest, with its gorgeous, modern architecture that lets in ample natural light and its Special Collection containing over 9000 books printed before 1801. The library offers over 2000 study spaces for students and over 500,000 books, periodicals and microfilms.The George Forbes Memorial Library at Lincoln University, New ZealandLincoln University isn’t huge, nor is the George Forbes Memorial Library located at the heart of campus inside Ivey Hall, but what they lack in size they make up for in beauty. Ivey Hall was opened in 1880, and while the library was originally opened in the George Forbes Memorial Building in 1960, it was moved into Ivey Hall in 1988 after the building underwent a major refurbishment.Tuggeranong Library, AustraliaLake Tuggeranong is a man-made body of water created by a dam in 1987. As a result, the suburban town built around the lake is equally new, but with the lovely scenery, it’s no wonder that the local architecture is a step above typical suburban towns. The Tuggeranong Town Center Library is no exception and is, in fact, one of the most picturesque buildings in town – particularly when viewed from the water where you can see its reflection. While it might not be particularly old or have an impressive collection of rare books, with a view like this, it certainly deserves its place on this list.Victorian State Library, AustraliaThis library was first opened in 1856 with a collection of 3,800 books, and the famous domed reading room was opened in 1913. While the dome’s skylights were covered with copper sheets in 1959 due to water leakage, they have since been renovated, allowing beautiful natural light to once again fill the reading room. This library is not only massive – containing over 2 million books – it also has some fantastic rarities, including the diaries of the city’s founders, folios of Captain James Cook, and the armor of famed outlaw Ned Kelly.Mortlock Wing State Library, Adelaide, AustraliaWhen this two-story library opened in 1884, officials were pleased by its majesty, yet felt it was missing something—a timepiece. The Dent and Sons clock still holds pride of place at the end of the reading room, high up on the wrought-iron and gold ornamented balcony. (A staff member winds it once a week.) One feature that’s been replicated in more modern libraries is the glass roof; its dome lets in natural light and enhances the warmth of the beautiful room. Open daily.Edith Cowan University Library And Resources Building, Joondalup, AustraliaThe striking Library and Resources Building at Western Australia’s Edith Cowan University was intended to be a home away from home. Its architects, Perth-based Jones Coulter Young, have explained the premise of the design, saying, “Everyone studies differently, and if the most comfortable way to study is at home with a laptop, a coffee, a friend and a snack, why shouldn’t that be possible here?” To this end, the building – completed in 2006 – contains a coffee shop and what the designers term a “research and learning lounge,” complete with beanbags and ottomans. Elsewhere, the white and yellow louvers of the exterior not only contribute to the library’s unique aesthetic, but also in part act as a sunscreen.Macquarie University Library, Sydney, AustraliaThe library at Macquarie University in Northern Sydney, Australia has pioneering technology to match its cutting-edge design. It is home to the first Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) in any college in the country; this uses robot cranes to pick up books and convey them to the front desk. For the building’s eye-catching look, architecture firm Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp, which has offices in Australia and England, took its cues from the surrounding landscape – in particular a eucalyptus forest that graces the campus. Flora also makes an appearance on the green roof, which incorporates planted areas and grass; meanwhile, wells are used to flood the bottom floors with daylight. The stunning building – which was constructed using recycled materials – opened its doors in 2011 and contains more than 1.8 million electronic and print items.State Library Of New South Wales, Sydney, AustraliaThe public State Library of New South Wales holds the honor of being the oldest institution of its kind in Australia. It was originally established as the Australian Subscription Library in 1826, but it wasn’t until 1942 that its permanent home was ready. Designed in a Classical style by Sydney architect Walter Liberty Vernon and completed in 1910, the magnificent sandstone Mitchell Wing is one of the architectural highlights. Its main reading room has tall bookshelves around its perimeter and skylights that flood the space in light. The library also acts as a cultural pinnacle, for it houses an exceptional array of Australiana donated to New South Wales’ citizens by the facility’s namesake, collector David Scott Mitchell.The State Library of South AustraliaThe State Library of South Australia is not as large as some of the other Australian State libraries, but it does have the distinction of having the largest collection dating from pre-European times in its South Australiana collection. This collection is mostly contained within the Mortlock Wing, the oldest and most gorgeous part of the library. Opened in 1884, the building originally held 23,000 books and employed three librarians. Since then, the collection has expanded so much that two massive buildings had to be added to the library, although the Mortlock Wing remains the most visually impressive.El Escorial Library in Madrid, SpainThe Escorial's was the first major library to have its collection arranged in cases lining the walls, rather than in bays jutting out at right angles.Source: ArchDailyImage Source: Google Images & Flickr

Shaded by rows of live oak trees, rolling lawns with St. Augustine grass brilliantly green, and graced with architecturally harmonious buildings (with an Italian Renaissance look?), this is a truly beautiful campus. It's hard to believe that Downtown Houston is nearby and the huge Texas Medical Center is immediately adjacent. Beautiful Campus ... - Review of Rice University, Houston, TX - TripAdvisorRice is beautiful in that as it expanded, the original Mediteranean architecture is maintained. New buildings fit an overall vision, not added haphazardly. The style resembles certain buildings at the University of Southern California, which however show no consistency. While it is located near the huge Texas Medical Center, the school is secluded by arbory.The 100 Most Beautiful College Campuses In America18. Rice University – Houston, TexasThe campus of Rice University may be relatively diminutive at only 295 acres, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in lush green expanses and stunning wooded areas. Threaded through the grounds is the Lynn R. Lowrey Arboretum, which with its approximately 4,200 shrubs and trees is a treat for any budding botanist – or indeed those who just love to bask in the beauty of nature. On the architectural front, Rice doesn’t disappoint either, thanks to splendid buildings like the iconic Lovett Hall. This Mediterranean-inspired stone and brick edifice was constructed in 1911, based on the designs of noted American architect Ralph Adams Cram and Princeton faculty member and inaugural Rice president Edgar Odell Lovett. The university itself was established in Houston, Texas in 1912.2017's Most Beautiful College Campuses | The Best Colleges.org42. Rice UniversityLocated in downtown Houston’s Museum District, Rice University has still found a way to provide plenty of green space for its students. Priding itself as an environmentally responsible campus, Duncan Hall, the Math and Science Center, is one of the favorite buildings on campus. Two newer residential dorms, McMurtry College and Duncan College, are LEED Gold certified. Based on the request of the University’s first president’s watchful eye, nearly every building on campus was crafted in Byzantine style featuring sand and pink-colored bricks, large archways, and columns.America’s Most Beautiful College CampusesCourtesy of Rice UniversityRice University: HoustonDon’t be fooled by Rice’s urban address. A double row of majestic oak trees encloses its perimeter—a harbinger of the lush 285-acre campus to come, divided into quadrangles and planted with 4,300-plus elms, hickories, maples, and other trees (a ratio of more than one for each undergrad). The oldest buildings, like the standout Lovett Hall, borrow elements of medieval southern European architecture, including grand, arched passageways and rose-hued brick.—Ratha TepAmerica’s Most Beautiful College CampusesTake a crash course in architecture at the country’s most beautiful college campuses.Dan Addison/ U. Va. Public Affairs by Travel + Leisure Staff“If you ask freshmen why they chose their colleges, they usually say one of two things,” says Baltimore architect Adam Gross, who’s worked on projects at the University of Virginia and Swarthmore. “Either they got a good financial aid package or they thought the campus was beautiful.”America’s most beautiful college campuses have the power not only to sway indecisive high school students, of course, but also to attract tourists. Their appeal comes through varying combinations of awe-inspiring architecture, landscaping, and surroundings. To choose among more than 2,600 four-year American colleges, we considered these three key factors as well as architects’ expert opinions.“The most important thing to realize is that how landscaping and buildings interconnect is as important as the buildings themselves,” explains Boston-based architect Mark deShong. At Princeton University, for example, “It’s really about landscape,” he says. The campus connects its ivy-covered gray stone buildings with footpaths, idyllic small greens, and courtyards that create an intimate village-like scale.Architectural coherence also plays a role in making a campus beautiful. Take the University of San Diego, which sticks to one architectural style: the Spanish Renaissance, with its elaborate façades, delicate ironwork, and carved wood. Ocean views and palm-tree-lined courtyards are extra selling points.Yale can’t compete when it comes to location, but it has embraced one architectural movement after another. As Robert A. M. Stern, dean of Yale’s School of Architecture, puts it: “Our campus is a living history of the architecture and urbanism of its three centuries in New Haven.” Whatever your taste, you’ll find a structure to your liking on a campus stroll, perhaps dorms designed by 1960s starchitect Eero Saarinen or James Gamble Rogers’s imposing Gothic bell tower.But no assessment of America’s campuses would be complete without the University of Virginia. “You might think it looks like all these other campuses, but it’s the first to look like that,” says deShong. He cites founder and architect Thomas Jefferson’s then-novel concept of flanking a lawn with pavilions linked by colonnades and a grand library at its head. New York-based architect Alexander Cooper concurs: “UVA remains the masterpiece of American campus planning.”So plan your own trip to check out these campus masterpieces. Think we missed a beautiful campus? Tell us why it should make the grade by posting a comment below. —Ratha TepTina Case of Case Rust PhotographyStanford University: Palo Alto, CAThe entryway to Stanford’s 8,180-acre campus is arguably the grandest of any college campus: a mile-long, tree-lined Palm Drive leads up to the expansive green oval Main Quad, surrounded by red-clay-roof-tiled buildings, and the campus’s crown architectural jewel, Memorial Church, with its striking mosaic façade. Beauty continues at the Cantor Arts Center's collection of 170 bronzes by Auguste Rodin, one of the largest beyond Paris, including the Gates of Hell and The Burghers of Calais, one of twenty pieces in the outdoor sculpture garden. The view of campus—and all the way to San Francisco on a clear day—is best captured from the Hoover Tower observation platform.—Ratha TepBerry CollegeBerry College: Mount Berry, GAThis rural college holds a lofty record: it’s the world’s largest contiguous college campus in the world, with more than 27,000 acres of fields, lakes, forests, and mountains. Berry makes prime use of its setting too, with numerous reflecting pools and fountains situated nearby its beautiful English Gothic–inspired buildings like the Ford Dining Hall, Ford Auditorium, and Mary Hall, made possible by the school’s largest benefactor—Henry Ford. A new, 800-square-foot welcome center, planned to be a "simple but beautiful structure" is in the works. —Ratha TepDennis MacDonald / AlamyUniversity of Notre Dame: South Bend, INIt’s hard to miss the glistening golden dome of the university’s Main Building, not to mention the neo-Gothic Basilica of the Sacred Heart that defines this 173-year-old Catholic school. Besides gorgeous architecture, the campus is chock-full of lush quads, where students congregate to kick back when they’re not in class—or at the football stadium. A sculpture park of granite, steel, and bronze works appeared in 2014.—Joshua Pramisimac/ AlamyFlorida Southern College: Lakeland, FLWhat do Ellis Island and Florida Southern College have in common? They’re among the 40 U.S. spots that have recently been put under watch by the World Monument Fund as endangered cultural sites. You might also be surprised to learn that Florida Southern—on a hillside overlooking Lake Hollingsworth—has the world’s largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, including the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel with its colored pieces of glass and wrought-iron tower. It was dubbed the "first uniquely American campus" by Wright himself. Other accolades? It was dubbed a National Historic Landmark in 2012.—Ratha TepCourtesy of University of CincinnatiUniversity of Cincinnati: Cincinnati, OHA decades-long renewal topping $1 billion is paying dividends for Cincy, which has cultivated a strikingly modern look—and proven that “it doesn’t need ivy-covered brick walls” to be beautiful, as UC Magazine put it. Notable architects Michael Graves, Charles Gwathmey, Frank Gehry, and Peter Eisenman have each made their mark on the campus, whose Main Street leads to the prow-shaped Steger Student Life Center and the Tangeman University Center, which, in 2005, dramatically repositioned the original clock tower atop a skylight in a 90-foot atrium.—Kate AppletonCourtesy of University of San DiegoUniversity of San Diego: San DiegoSome campuses are an amalgam of styles; the University of San Diego sticks to just one, and what a glorious one it has chosen—the Spanish Renaissance, with its elaborate façades, delicate ironwork, and carved woodwork. Ocean views and palm-tree-lined courtyards only add to the paradise-on-campus appeal. The Immaculata Chapel, with its piercingly blue dome and solid bronze front door is visible from much of the city, and is a photo-op worthy landmark on the campus. Walk around the Garden of the Sea, behind the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, and linger alongside the serene reflecting pool and gardens overlooking Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean.—Ratha TepPeter Aaron/EstoBard College: Annandale-on-Hudson, NYFrank Gehry’s Fisher Center—an undulating work of glass and brushed stainless steel—showcases Bard’s thriving arts scene throughout the year (current college president Leon Botstein himself is an accomplished conductor). The center is on the contemporary side of the rural campus’s architectural spectrum, which goes back to the 19th-century Blithewood Mansion and its manicured Italian garden. Pathways make for easy exploring, with the Catskill Mountains visible in the distance. —Kate AppletonCourtesy of Lewis and Clark CollegeLewis & Clark College: Portland, ORSix miles from downtown lies this 137-acre parklike campus of verdant forests, sweeping pathways, and stone walls. A tree walk with native species encountered by the two explorers for whom the college was named on their epic journey west surrounds the Frank Manor House—originally built as a 35-room private mansion. The landmark estate gardens house a terraced Reflecting Pool, bordered by a wall of wisteria, which boasts a stellar view of Mount Hood.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Rice UniversityRice University: HoustonDon’t be fooled by Rice’s urban address. A double row of majestic oak trees encloses its perimeter—a harbinger of the lush 285-acre campus to come, divided into quadrangles and planted with 4,300-plus elms, hickories, maples, and other trees (a ratio of more than one for each undergrad). The oldest buildings, like the standout Lovett Hall, borrow elements of medieval southern European architecture, including grand, arched passageways and rose-hued brick.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Cornell UniversityCornell University: Ithaca, NYAmbitious campus planners wanted to create a main quad over dramatic Cayuga Lake, the longest of the Finger Lakes. “It’s the idea of putting education on a high platform,” says architect Mark deShong. That original plan evolved, and the beautiful setting now accommodates both historic structures (McGraw Tower) and contemporary ones like the I. M. Pei–designed Johnson Museum of Art—whose walls screen movies on summer evenings—and the new Milstein Hall by Rem Koolhaas. Prospective students (and their parents) are always impressed by Cascadilla Gorge, whose eight waterfalls drop more than 400 feet from Cornell’s campus to downtown Ithaca, the 25-acre botanical gardens, and Cornell Plantation’s 150-acre arboretum. Climb to the Newman Overlook for a sweeping panoramic view.—Ratha TepUniversity of the South, SewaneeSewanee, The University of the South: Sewanee, TNThis 13,000-acre rural campus on the Cumberland Plateau overlooking the Tennessee Valley combines Gothic-inspired architecture with magnificent surroundings: forest, lakefront bluffs, and a garden ravine that follows a stream through campus. In spring, it blooms with daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips. The univresity's All Saints’ Chapel draws inspiration from the University Church at Oxford and Notre Dame in Paris. Catch a performance at the on-site Tennessee Williams Center, named after the Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright who left his estate to Sewanee.—Ratha TepUniversity of Washington/University PhotographyUniversity of Washington: SeattleThe eye-catching Collegiate Gothic Suzzallo Library at UW’s Seattle campus has 35-foot-high stained-glass windows and elaborately gilded vaulted ceilings that soar 65 feet in the air. But come spring, the Quad’s 31 Yoshino cherry trees steal the spotlight with blooms of delicate pink petals set against red-brick buildings (peak cherry blossom season, mid-March to early April). The Drumheller Fountain is a great spot for views of snowcapped Mount Rainier, and musical acts are best seen at the newly renovated Neptune Theatre, which debuted in the University District in 1921. —Ratha TepPrinceton University; Office of CommunicationsPrinceton University: Princeton, NJGray stone buildings like the University Chapel and Cleveland Tower are pure Collegiate Gothic splendor. But the 500-acre campus’s beauty extends beyond their doors. “Princeton has beautiful buildings, but the exquisite landscaping amplifies them even more,” explains Boston-based architect Mark deShong. Courtyards, idyllic small greens, and crisscrossing footpaths dot the campus. The handsome ivy-covered Nassau Hall is not only the oldest building on campus, but also a former home to the Continental Congress.Don't miss the Princeton Art Museum's varied collection, which ranges from remarkable Mayan Jaina figures to Andy Warhol’s Blue Marilyn.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Kenyon College Office of Public AffairsKenyon College: Gambier, OHKenyon’s hilltop setting in tiny Gambier makes for one of the country’s most idyllic campus walks: the 10-foot-wide Middle Path, which spans the length of the college and through town, shaded by massive trees that glow fiery orange in the fall. Veer off the path for Kenyon’s castle-like Victorian Gothic Ascension Hall and the Greek Revival Rosse Hall with its elegant columns. The college’s first permanent building, Old Kenyon, stands out with its multicolored spire.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore College: Swarthmore, PAJust southwest of Philadelphia, Swarthmore’s Scott Arboretum nurtures idyllic gardens of hydrangea, lilacs, and tree peonies and a courtyard devoted to fragrant trees and shrubs. The highlight is its outdoor amphitheater, a series of cascading lawn-covered stone tiers shaded by tulip trees and surrounded by Crum Woods and its holly and rhododendron collections.The Dean Bond Rose Garden has 200-plus varieties and views of stately Parrish Hall in the background.—Ratha TepCourtesy of Indiana UniversityIndiana University: Bloomington, INTo explore IU’s flagship campus, follow the meticulously kept red-brick path that starts at the Sample Gates and winds through Dunn Woods, filled with 80 varieties of mature trees, and the Old Crescent Historic District with its carved limestone structures. Among the most impressive is the Student Building with its soaring clock tower. In spring, the flowbeds bloom with bright red tulips along the limestone Sample Gates. Yearround, I.M. Pei’s IU Art Museum displays more than 30,000 works of art by the likes of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. For a more controversial look at the human body, tour the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. —Ratha TepDan Addison/ U. Va. Public AffairsUniversity of Virginia: Charlottesville, VAHow’s this for honors? UVA is the only university in the U.S. to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and Thomas Jefferson chose its founding to be one of only three of his many accomplishments noted on his gravestone (being president wasn’t among them). Jefferson designed the campus’s since-copied layout and even hired its initial faculty and planned the curriculum. Highlights of this elegant campus include the Neoclassical domed Rotunda, modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, and the Small Special Collections Library, which showcases the most comprehensive collection of letters, documents, and early printings of the Declaration of Independence.—Ratha TepMichael Marsland/ Yale UniversityYale University: New Haven, CTWhile some campuses hold stubbornly onto their pasts, Yale embraces changing architectural movements. “Our campus is a living history of the architecture and urbanism of its three centuries in New Haven,” notes Robert A. M. Stern, dean of Yale’s School of Architecture. The collection spans from the Georgian-style red-brick Connecticut Hall (whose construction predates the Revolutionary War) to the Postmodernist (is it a turtle? a whale?) Ingalls Rink by Eero Saarinen and the School of Management's new Edward P. Evans Hall: a Norman Foster project completed in 2014. Duck inside the wondrous Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, which houses volumes in a six-story glass-enclosed tower, set against translucent grained Vermont marble panels.—Ratha TepChris Hildreth, Duke PhotographyDuke University: Durham, NCMuch of this Collegiate Gothic wonderland, including soaring Duke Chapel, was designed by Julian Abele, one of the country’s first prominent African American architects. But Duke’s campus isn’t all Gothic-inspired marvel. Among its newest architectural gems are the glass-walled Karl and Mary Ellen von der Heyden Pavilion and the Rafael Viñoly–designed Nasher Museum of Art—five pavilions shaped in a loose radial pattern that house contemporary works by Andy Warhol and Kara Walker.—Ratha TepGeorge Rose/ Getty ImagesUniversity of Colorado at BoulderThe flagship university of Colorado combines sweeping views of the snowcapped Rocky Mountains and Flatirons, a gorgeous natural setting that includes a serene lake and two creeks, and ruggedly beautiful buildings to match. Most, including the grand Norlin Library, feature a distinct Tuscan-meets-the-West architectural style of local sandstone walls, red tile roofs, and limestone trim.—Ratha TepImages-USA/ AlamyUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonThere are a number of campuses set on pretty lakes, but none commands its lakeshore setting quite like the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Its august Memorial Union and outdoor stone Terrace, dotted with bright green, orange, and yellow starburst chairs, practically hug the shores of Lake Mendota. Another building on campus occupying prime real estate: the white-columned hilltop Bascom Hall. —Ratha TepCourtesy of Wellesley CollegeWellesley College: Wellesley, MAOnly 12 miles west of Boston, Wellesley’s 500-acre campus is another world entirely, with pathways that meander through sprawling meadows, groves of conifers and hardwoods that surround tranquil Lake Waban, and 19th-century brick buildings tucked into the wooded hillsides. Sixteen greenhouses, lush with tropical, subtropical, and desert plantings, stay green straight through the long northeastern winters.—Ratha TepJoel Pattinson/ The College of William and MaryThe College of William & Mary: Williamsburg, VANamed for its royal English founders, William & Mary is the second-oldest college in the U.S. (Harvard came first) and is anchored by the brick Wren Building, whose weather vane bears the founding date of 1693. Students sprawl on the grassy Sunken Garden, which stretches from the Wren to Crim Dell Pond. Duke of Gloucester Street links the 1,200-acre campus to the town of Williamsburg—a throwback to the college’s colonial days. —Kate AppletonCourtesy of St. Olaf College, Marketing and CommunicationsSt. Olaf College: Northfield, MNNorwegian-Americans opened St. Olaf in the late 19th-century amid wetlands, woods, and prairie grass—and the college prides itself on environmental stewardship. A wind turbine supplies up to a third of its energy, and LEED Platinum–certified Regents Hall has a plant-filled greenhouse that overlooks two of the campus’s earliest, loveliest landmarks: the Old Main and Steensland Hall, with its Greek Revival columns, porch, and dome.—Kate AppletonIan BradshawScripps College: Claremont, CAThe Mission Revival–style buildings—popular in California when Scripps was founded in 1926—and campus landscaping are artistically connected thanks to the careful coordination of architect Gordon Kaufmann and landscape architect Edward Huntsman-Trout. Unlike many other palm tree–lined southern California campuses, Scripps also has an abundance of deciduous trees that turn rich shades of red and orange in autumn. —Lyndsey MatthewsiStockphotoUniversity of Chicago: ChicagoLocated in the South Side Hyde Park neighborhood, this campus blends traditional English Gothic style with the modern designs of Eero Saarinen and Mies van der Rohe—across 215 acres that include an official botanical garden. Be sure to pay attention to details: many of the gargoyles on the ivy-covered buildings date back to the end of the 1893 Columbian Exposition, when the campus was constructed. —Lyndsey MatthewsJim RoeseBryn Mawr: Bryn Mawr, PAThe first example of the Collegiate Gothic style created by architects Cope and Stewardson (who drew influences from Oxford and Cambridge universities) is found at this women’s liberal arts college. Campuses across the U.S., including Princeton and Washington University in St. Louis, went on to emulate the look of Bryn Mawr’s Pembroke Hall. But the buildings aren’t the only lookers; Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park, helped with the layout of the campus’s 135 tree-covered acres. —Lyndsey MatthewsCourtesy of Furman UniversityFurman University: Greenville, SCThe serene landscape of this 750-acre wooded university is focused around a lake and the landmark Bell Tower. From a Buddhist temple beside the school’s Asia Garden—full of irises, bamboo, and camellias—to a replica of Henry David Thoreau’s home, the setting on this campus is as diverse as its student body. Oh, and did we mention the 18-hole golf course and miles of walking trails? —Joshua PramisVespasian / AlamyVanderbilt University: Nashville, TNSure, it might be planted just outside of downtown Nashville, but you certainly wouldn’t know by looking around. The campus actually doubles as a sprawling arboretum. With some 170 species of trees scattered across 300-plus acres and sightings of hawks, owls, and cardinals, it’s easy to forget you’re actually in the middle of a city. Italianate-style Kirkland Hall is an orienting landmark and helps give the campus an atmosphere that T+L commenter blevins called “civility personified.” —Kate Appleton2017's Most Beautiful College Campuses | The Best Colleges.orgWhen choosing a college, many students overlook one of the most important factors: quality of life. At The Best Colleges one of our goals is to emphasize to students the importance of the context and learning environment in which they choose to get educated. In polling that we’ve conducted of recent college graduates, there is one thing in particular that stands out as playing a vital role in how a student perceives her last four years of education. The campus setting. And beautiful college campuses rule the day.Because students who graduate from beautiful campuses typically report higher overall satisfaction with their college experience, we decided to put together these rankings of the 50 prettiest college campuses of 2017 in the United States.50. University of MinnesotaNot only is the main campus of the University of Minnesota located in the “Happiest City in America” it also starts our list of the prettiest college campuses in the country. Ranked as a Public Ivy school for its excellence in academic standards, this campus boasts great facilities like the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, and the oldest building on campus, Pillsbury Hall. Students will enjoy the view between the East and West sides of campus as they cross the Mississippi river via the Washington Avenue Bridge.49. Wake Forest UniversityConsistently ranked among the Top 25 universities in the country, Wake Forest boasts the T.K. Hearn Plaza (the Quad) as a hub for student life. This feature allow for plenty of social gathering opportunities and is also the site of the infamous “Rolling the Quad” after major sports victories for the Demon Deacons. The Reynolda Campus area hosts all of the Undergrad programs as well as a few of the Graduate programs, in buildings that pull from regional architectural influences. The Z. Smith Reynolds Library, named after the foundation for which major funding was dispersed during the early 1900s, features views of the 350 acres designated in the Carolina hills for the campus.48. University of Colorado-BoulderAmong the top public universities in the country, the University of Colorado also features great facilities to round-out student life and benefit social experiences. The main campus west end features The Hill which includes lots of shopping, bars, restaurants and some prime residential spots for students wishing to not live in a dormitory setting. One of the most well-known buildings on the sprawling campus is the Mackey Auditorium. The building houses most performing arts programs for the University and was fashioned with a Neo-Gothic style. Most buildings on campus incorporate local products like sandstone and multi-leveled roofs that feature red tiles. Campus also features the Center for Community AKA the C4C a state-of-the-art facility for students which features commonly used student facilities as well as a 25% more energy efficient dining hall for the students. It’s not just the views that are great from the C4C, you can also eat there 24 hours a day.47. Northwestern UniversityWhile everyone loves a good weekend in Chi-town, students attending the suburban campus of Northwester in the Evanston, Illinois area will tell you that the historical importance of their campus adds to its charm. Located on the edge of Lake Michigan, the campus offers great spring and summer breezes but may also see a few feet of lake-effect snow in the winter! Students will be greeted by “The Arch” as they walk onto the main campus, introducing you to the late 1800’s architecture. University Hall is the second building constructed on campus (1869) and the oldest building still standing. In a vast difference from the “historical” side of campus don’t miss the University Library, built in 1970, which features a Brutalist style.46. Scripps CollegeRanked as one of the top private college’s exclusively for women in the country, the gorgeous California campus features mostly Mission Revival-inspired architecture including the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery and the Margaret Fowler Garden area. The campus, which prides itself on sustainability, also features lush landscaping throughout the campus, that features tulip trees, sycamores, almond and orange trees. The Claremont campus has been featured in The Princeton Review for accolades such as “Dorms Like Palaces” (#4), “Most Beautiful Campus” (#17), and “Best Campus Food” (#19).45. Bryn Mawr CollegeNamed for the town it’s located in (itself named for a Welsh word meaning “big hill”), this Pennsylvania campus features beautiful buildings such as the M. Carey Thomas Library which is surrounded by the Cloisters area, an open area of the campus that includes a fountain and green space. Much of the campus was designed by noted landscape designers Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted. Some of the women’s college’s other notable buildings include the beautiful Great Hall building and the Marjorie Walter Goodhart Theater, full of ornamental ironwork designs by Samuel Yellin in the Gothic Revival style.44. Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M boasts one of the largest campuses in America at 5200 acres. When you think of Texas A&M you think about the 12th man and Kyle Field. Steeped in tradition, the crowds at Aggie Football games are some of the best in the land. Spread out on the vast campus is the library of former President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, as well as the Corps Arches in the Quadrangle, an area featured to honor and welcome Cadets to the campus.43. Florida State UniversityThe Tallahassee chop has a long history in college football but exploring the gorgeous campus is as good a way to spend a Saturday as taking in a Florida State football game. The Florida State campus features several historical “Southern Style” dorms and buildings as well as the stoic Heritage Tower and the signature Spanish moss sprawling over the campus. The Heritage Grove is one of the most noteworthy areas of Florida State, featuring several interesting buildings and sports complexes as well the Westcott building, one of the most prominent on campus.42. Rice UniversityLocated in downtown Houston’s Museum District, Rice University has still found a way to provide plenty of green space for its students. Priding itself as an environmentally responsible campus, Duncan Hall, the Math and Science Center, is one of the favorite buildings on campus. Two newer residential dorms, McMurtry College and Duncan College, are LEED Gold certified. Based on the request of the University’s first president’s watchful eye, nearly every building on campus was crafted in Byzantine style featuring sand and pink-colored bricks, large archways, and columns.41. Sweet Briar CollegeLocated at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sweet Briar College is another women’s college on our list of beautiful campuses. Most of the campus buildings feature the architecture of Ralph Adams Cram. One of the highlights of the campus is the Equestrian center (situated on approximately 130 acres) which hosts the schools 7-riding teams. 21 of the 30 campus buildings have been designated by the National Historic Registrar’s office as historic buildings.40. University of California-Santa CruzWhen you compile a lists of the most beautiful campuses in the country, you could in theory list dozens of schools up and down the Pacific Coast that get a huge boost for their beautiful settings but for our list we’re only including the best of the best. The campus of UC Santa Cruz certainly fits. It’s nestled near Monterrey Bay and boasts natural wonders like Porter Caves, a hiking trails and open space reserve called Pogonip, and multiple views of California’s trademark Redwoods.39. University of San DiegoThe small private University of San Diego features stunning Pacific Ocean views from the Alcala Park corner of campus but of course, with the campus being in San Diego it’s all gorgeous. If the Alcala views aren’t enough for you, stroll around campus and you’ll be able to take in breath-taking views of the San Diego Harbor, the Coronado Islands, and La Jolla. Nearly every building located on the campus features a 16th-century Spanish Renaissance architectural style, of course keeping close to the founders Catholic roots.38. Wellesley CollegeLocated just 12 miles west of downtown Boston, one of the top women’s institutions in the country has loads of charm. The 500 acre campus offers elite female students opportunities with over 50 bachelor degrees as well as the opportunity to compete in NCAA Division III sports. The campus was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., who hailed from Boston, and was determined that the look of the campus would not be average but far superior to any other campus. Some favorite spots on campus designed by Olmstead and his team include the wooded areas surrounding Lake Waban and the open meadows contained within the limits of campus. The designers made sure to design the campus so that it was well integrated into the topography of the area, instead of following the typical quad surrounded by buildings set up that was popular and ubiquitous at the time.37. Rollins CollegeNestled just outside of Orlando, Florida, Rollins College sits along the banks of Lake Virginia. This small private college boasts great year-round weather and keeping with the Florida lifestyle, even offers something called “Fox Day” every year, a time when all students are encouraged to miss class and enjoy the local community (i.e. Disney!). In 2000, the New York Times did a feature on a campus standout, a memorial called the Peace Monument, which was constructed of a German artillery shell surrendered by Germany at the end of the First World War.36. Whitman CollegeWhile you may have heard of Whitman College, you may not realize that it is located in Wall Walla, Washington. The campus, built around the natural beauty of Walla Walla, features miles of trails, streams, ponds, and numerous outdoor sculptures. Many of the buildings on campus cling to a Victorian design scheme, but several of the new facilities have been erected with more modern designs. One of the largest areas of the campus is known as Ankeny Field, which is the main quad area. The campus also holds the deed to a local nature preserve, the Johnston Wilderness Campus, which is used for social events and research purposes.35. Duke UniversityWhile Duke is commonly recognized as a top institution of learning, it can also claim beautiful grounds. The 8600 acre campus features highlights like the Duke Chapel and the Perkins Library. Nearly every building on the west side of campus was constructed with Collegiate Gothic architecture in mind. Some of the east side campus buildings, including several dormitories, have been designed Georgian-style, including the famous Baldwin Auditorium. For the nature lovers, the Duke Forest is a must see. The over 700 acre-wood contains a variety of trees and is an active area for science research. The Sarah P. Duke Memorial Gardens is also a must visit.34. Sonoma State UniversityOne of the top “green” campuses in the country, nearly every building on the Sonoma State campus has set the standard for small universities to give their students the best overall experience. The nearly 59,000 square foot student center has been a model for colleges around the country, as it was built with sustainability in mind. The facility was constructed using UV ray reflective roofing, recycled rubber indoor track, recycled glass reinforced structural brick, recycled seat belts to upholster seating, and reclaimed water plumbing non-potable water systems. The campus is not just environmentally friendly with it’s buildings, it also has a wonderfully close relationship to local nature, with miles of walking trails and fantastic access to Redwood trees.33. University of AlabamaThe 1800 acre Alabama campus features many Greek Revival buildings. Several buildings (4) on the campus, including the President’s home, were all built pre-Civil War, survived the conflict, and are still used today. The center of the campus is the Quad, fronted by a campanile equipped with a 25-bell carillon. The campus includes many cultural centers, including an art museum, a Natural History museum, the Allen Bales Theater, Marion Gallaway Theater, Morgan Auditorium, and the Frank M. Moody Music Building. The University also runs an arboretum.32. United States Military Academy (West Point)A campus filled with Neo-Gothic inspired buildings, all constructed from gray and black granite, must be the home of a prestigious campus. About 50 miles north of New York City you will find the United States Military Academy. The campus, which educates and trains some of our armed forces bravest, is considered a national landmark. The 15,000 acre campus offers stunning views of the famous Hudson River and Highland Falls. The famous cemetery on grounds is the final resting place for some of the most prominent members of our country’s military including George Armstrong Custer, Winfield Scott, William Westmoreland and many Medal of Honor recipients.31. University of the PacificOriginally founded as California Wesleyan College, the now named University of the Pacific not only operates as a top institution in California but also a make-shift movie set. High Time, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and The Sure Thing are just a few of the films that have used the picturesque campus for a backdrop. One of the most commonly recognized symbols of the campus is the Burns Tower. The bell tower can be seen all over the campus area and hovers over common student gathering places.30. Washington University in St. LouisLocated in one of the quintessential “All-American” towns, St. Louis, Missouri, Washington University is one of the most prestigious research universities in the country. While the campus is divided into multiple locations, the total 11 million square feet of buildings include many notable and beautiful buildings, including Seigle Hall, Francis Field (site of much of the 1904 Olympic Games), and Danforth University Center.29. University of Wisconsin-MadisonWith a main campus located in the center of two massive lakes, Mendota and Monona, it’s no wonder that Wisconsin-Madison can offer 4 seasons of extra-curricular activities for the student body. With a little over 900 acres to offer, Wisconsin is proud to host 4 national landmarks, including Bascom Hall, which is a hub for student life. The campus, which is located just a mile from the capitol building, operates like a small city, offering students countless outdoor activities to round-out the student experience. The views from campus overlooking the lakes are some of the greatest in the nation.28. University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)Ole Miss is the quintessential southern university, with beautiful classic buildings and a campus steeped in tradition. Football Saturdays here are a religious experience, and tailgating before a game in the Grove is one of the coolest college football experiences one can have. The Grove is populated with oak, elm and magnolia trees, and tents are added on fall Saturdays. Notable buildings include the Lycecum, which is the oldest building on campus (1848). It is pictured on the school’s official crest. Another interesting building, and piece of history, is the School of Medicine, which was used as a Civil War hospital for both Union and Confederate soldiers.27. University of North Carolina-Chapel HillWhen we think of UNC we all think of the Dean Dome, the baby blue jerseys, and of course Michael Jordan but there’s much more to Chapel Hill than basketball. The 700+ acre campus is divided into two sections, Polk Place and McCorkle Place. Some of the most famous spots on campus are the gorgeous Old Well, a rotunda based on the Temple of Love in the Gardens of Versailles, which nurtures gorgeous landscaping and is the spot of many romantic moments for students.26. Cornell UniversityThe small town of Ithaca is the site of Ivy League school Cornell. The quaint New York town overlooks the picturesque Cayuga Lake. The campus features 6 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and access to local gorges, Fall Creek Gorge and Cascadilla Gorge, both of which provide spots for hiking and swimming. The University also owns a 2,800 acre botanical garden, Cornell Plantations.25. Amherst CollegeRanked consistently as one of the top three institutions for higher learning in the country, Amherst College is also among the most beautiful. College Row is the centerpiece at Amherst, consisting of multiple halls and Johnson Chapel. The Quad is beautiful and a popular hangout spot in nice weather. Students at Amherst are also eligible to attend other beautiful colleges, including Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts without any addition charge as they are all members of the Pioneer Valley institutions.24. Yale UniversityYale is of course at the top of the Ivy League, but there’s just as much to say about the campus nestled in the town of New Haven, Connecticut as there is the education offered. Many of the buildings are built in the Collegiate Gothic architecture style but a key building on campus, Connecticut Hall (built in 1750), is in the Georgian style. The campus has a decidedly Middle Ages feel to it. While the campus is gorgeous, Yale has even made inroads towards putting it’s stamp on the community also, by purchasing several mansions in the surrounding area, especially on Hillhouse Avenue. Yale is moving steadily towards an environmentally sustainable campus with eleven campus buildings as candidates for LEED design and certification.23. Gettysburg CollegeLocated adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg College is a highly selective institution that pays homage to one of the most important battles in our nation’s history. The quaint campus is often referred to as one of most gorgeous in the country. The quad area of campus which sees a great deal of student social interaction is called Stine Lake. It is not actually a lake, but the campus regularly experienced drainage issues in the early 1900s, often causing the quad and library to flood, hence the “lake” moniker. Something of a confusing situation for freshman.22. Occidental CollegeWith gorgeous Mediterranean style buildings, Occidental College in Los Angeles, consistently ranks as one of the most gorgeous campuses in the country. The campus features gorgeous tree lines and superb social gathering areas also ranks as one of the top universities in California. Several original buildings built in the early 1900s are still used today. One of the most notable campus buildings is the Johnson Student Center, built in 1914. The designer of Occidental’s original buildings, Myron Hunt, was also the designer of the Rose Bowl.21. Princeton UniversityThe “Gray Stone” of Princeton is renowned. The campus is one of the oldest in America, and the oldest building on campus, Nassau Hall, was built in 1754. The southern edge of the campus faces Lake Carnegie, and as you’d guess from the name, was donated by Andrew Carnegie. The lake was originally was designated for rowing but has since been transformed to a campus gathering point. Another famous building located on campus is the Princeton University Chapel, the third largest college chapel in the world.20. University of Washington-SeattleThe University of Washington at Seattle has easily one of the most stunning natural settings of any campus in America. The campus boasts great views of Mount Rainier, the Cascade Range, and the Olympic Mountains. One of the favorite spots for students is the blooming cherry trees on the campus quad. The oldest building on campus is the French-inspired Denny Hall built in 1895.19. Stanford UniversityThe 8000 acre campus nestled in the San Francisco Peninsula features stunning views of the San Francisco Bay. Most of the campus was destroyed in the powerful 1906 San Francisco earthquake but was originally designed in a Spanish-colonial style, commonly known as Mission Revival, featuring red tile roofs and sandstone masonry. Some buildings survived the 1906 earthquake such as the Quad, the old Chemistry building, and Encina Hall. The 1989 earthquake inflicted further damage to the campus, and the next two decades saw the school spend over a billion dollars to renovate and update the campus for better earthquake protection.18. United States Naval AcademyThe US Naval Academy is a small campus, but packs a lot of beauty into a small space. The Chapel is breathtaking, and Bancroft Hall is the largest dormitory in the world. The campus features many memorials and monuments, including a Pearl Harbor memorial and Battle Ensigns from famous ships that are displayed all over the campus.17. University of VirginiaThe beautiful grounds of the University of Virginia has always been admired for its unique Jeffersonian architecture, which includes the famous Rotunda. The campus draws thousands of visitors every year. The American Institute of Architects called the rolling landscape and gorgeous buildings, “the proudest achievement of American architecture in the past 200 years.”16. University of Notre DameBelieve it or not there’s more to Notre Dame than Touchdown Jesus and Rudy. The campus is quite beautiful, and includes many interesting areas and buildings. The statue of the Virgin Mary can be seen blessing the Grotto, and was built in 1896 as a replica of the original in Lourdes, France. The 1250 acre campus is divided into the “Old Campus” area and new. Old Campus is now controlled by the two seminaries connected through the Catholic church, the Congregation of Holy Cross and current Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The Golden Dome sits atop the main building, and is the inspiration for the famous golden Notre Dame football helmets.15. Indiana University-BloomingtonThe town of Bloomington, Indiana is the ultimate college town. A campus filed with over 1,200 miles of bike and running trails, this quaint town not only encourages students to embark on a sense of community it nearly demands it. Student can visit “off” campus stores, restaurants and coffee shops just a few steps from the limestone buildings in which they will live and learn. The student building on the IU campus is listed on the National Historical Registrar. The Sample Gates welcome students onto campus. Most of the campus is made of Indiana limestone sourced locally, and was built during the Great Depression by the WPA.14. University of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is an urban campus located in the Hyde Park area of Chicago, seven miles south of downtown. The campus features the Rockefeller Chapel, donated by the “Rockefeller” family, as well as some of the best architecture you’ll find in a college campus. Most of the older buildings feature Collegiate Gothic architecture that mimics their English rival Oxford. With several buildings landing on the National Registrar of Historic Places, you can enjoy the history of Chicgao with a short stroll around campus.13. Mount Holyoke CollegeMount Holyoke is widely credited with leading the “green” initiative among elite college campuses. With five buildings LEED certified, the Holyoke campus is not only providing sustainability for the region but protecting the natural environment and the Connecticut river. Most of the campus is located within the Skinner State Park, providing amazing opportunities for students to hike, jog and bike.12. Furman UniversityWith a campus full of Georgian-style architecture, Furman University ranks among the top campuses in the country. Several buildings on the campus surround a gorgeous lake, and iconic views of the campus Bell Tower are a must see. Amongst the standout buildings, the James B. Duke Library encourages study, research and community. The lush South Carolina campus has been named several times as one of the most beautiful places in the USA (Campus or Not) by the American Society of Landscape Architects.11. Harvard UniversityEstablished in 1636, this campus is the oldest in America. The campus might be surprisingly urban to some, located just a few miles northwest of downtown Boston. Students live in one of twelve residential houses, and each house is basically self containing, with a dining hall, space for tutors, undergrads, and grad students, and a library and other student facilities. Notable buildings include Sever Hall, built in Richardsonian Romanesque style, and University Hall, built from 1813-15 of white Chelmsford granite.10. University of Hawai at ManoaHundreds of thousands of tourists flock to the Hawaiian islands annually to embark on the vacation of a lifetime but what many people might not realize is that Hawaii contains a prestigious university with a long waiting list. The campus features views of the famous volcano Diamond Head and is located just a few steps from the famous Waikiki Beach. This campus location is one of the most beautiful places in the United States. Students are treated to extraordinary experiences studying at the campus run Lyon Arboretum and have unbridled access to the Polynesian Cultural Center, a hub for the history of the Hawaiian islands. Good luck getting any studying done living here!9. Dartmouth CollegeThe history of Dartmouth (founded in 1769) will make all of the history buffs very excited to check out Wentworth and Thorton Halls. Two of the original campus buildings, these facilities were constructed in 1820. While Dartmouth has continued to offer extraordinary educational opportunities, they also work to complete the student-life experience by offering amazing access to the arts at “the Hop” the Hopkins center for the Arts. The technology available to student in the Baker-Berry Library will make even students at MIT jealous. And for those students who need to step outside and enjoy some fresh air, walking and hiking trails in the Upper Valley along the Connecticut River offer great year-round views.8. College of William & MaryThe College of William & Mary may be considered an “old” campus but they are leading the way for elite East Coast schools in the global sustainability field. The campus has over 1200 acres full of cozy wooded areas such as the Crim Dell pond. Most buildings on campus consist of Georgian and Anglo-Dutch architecture, and the highlight is the Christopher Wren building, the oldest collegiate building in the United States. The campus also profits from tourists flocking to the historic Williamsburg, Virginia area every year.7. Loyola Marymount UniversitySitting on top of a bluff in the Del Rey Hills, Loyola Marymount offers one of the top campus locations in the country. This classic California school boasts picturesque views of both Playa del Rey and the Pacific Ocean. Loyola’s campus is covered in architectural and art-inspired sittings including the Sculpture Gardens and even walk-ways between educational buildings offer students glimpses to amazing artwork.6. Emory UniversityWith an awe inspiring classically gorgeous southern campus, Emory is easily one of our top campuses in the country. This gem in the heart of Atlanta can offer students both an exceptional education as well as countless opportunities to expand their horizons. The Michael C. Carlos Museum on campus houses the most extensive art collection in the Southeast, with pieces from around the world. For the adventurous student, you can spend countless hours at Lullwater Park, comprising over 100 acres on campus that is dedicated to preserving the south and its natural environment. Lullwater features walking and hiking trails as well as a view of the president of the University’s home.5. Lewis & Clark CollegeThere are many excellent universities in the Pacific Northwest but none can claims the title of “prettiest campus” like Lewis & Clark College can. With extraordinary view of Mt. Hood, Lewis & Clark’s campus will inspire its students to get outside. The 130+ acre campus sits at the top of Palatine Hill, in Portland, Oregon. Attached to the campus is the Tryon Creek State Natural Area, an area which has inspired the college to continue “green” efforts working to make buildings on campus LEED certified. The unique architecture of the campus has been named the best by design experts as well as one of the prettiest campuses by the Princeton Review.4. Pepperdine UniversityMany visitors flock to the Catalina Islands every year for the views of the Pacific ocean but students attending Pepperdine University can wake up to those views everyday. Pepperdine has some of the best student dorms in the country, and you can’t beat living right on the Pacific ocean. True to the spirit of the Pacific, several buildings on campus, including the Keck Science Center, feature Mediterranean architecture. One of the most recognizable buildings on campus is the Phillips Theme Tower, surrounded by lush landscaping that provides a welcoming environment for students.3. Sewanee: The University of the SouthSewanee: The University of the South is the ultimate experience in southern living and education. With nearly every building paying homage to classic Goth-style architecture, the campus oozes southern charm. One of the most notable buildings is All Saints and of course, the Tennessee Williams Center. The Williams attraction on campus provides funding for many student experiences, through royalties from the family endowment. Sewanee has been featured in countless magazines as one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.2. Kenyon CollegeKenyon College has been recognized for its superior swimming and diving teams but many people around the country may not realize this college in Ohio is one of the most picturesque in the nation. Known for its Gothic Revival architecture the campus features several buildings that have inspired designers around the country. Ascension Hall is an imposing and impressive structure and Old Kenyon Hall, built in 1827, is believed to be the oldest Gothic Revival building in America. The setting for Kenyon is wonderfully rustic and the college was named one of the most beautiful in the country by Forbes.1. Elon UniversityThe wooded grounds of Elon were designated as a botanical garden in 2005, making the beauty of the campus a contributor to the educational experience, as the landscaping is used as both an aesthetic and educational resource. Located in the heart of North Carolina, this campus not only offers an exceptional education but has been the site of several films, including Spike Lee’s He Got Game. Elon has been named the prettiest campus in the country on multiple occasions, including landing at the top spot in rankings by the Princeton Review and the New York Times. We can’t argue, and Elon takes the top spot in our list of the prettiest college campuses.​College RankingsOnline Colleges For Public Administration10 Best Film Schools In The United StatesE-Commerce / E-Business Degree Programs10 Best Grad Programs In Urban & Regional Planning10 Best Landscape Architecture Programs10 Popular Online DegreesLatest Blog PostsThe Best Colleges for STEM “Nerds”The Best Foods for Body and BrainTop Online Video Game Design Degree Programs of 2017Best Online MBA Degree Programs for 2017Top Online MHA and Healthcare Management Degree Programs of 2017© 2017 The Best Colleges | Privacy Policy | Sitemap