Best Colleges: High School Counselor Rankings of National Universities

We asked guidance counselors from America's Best High Schools in 2008 to tell us which national universities they think offer the best education to their students. They rated the universities on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being the top score) or marked "don't know" if they were unfamiliar with that particular college.

About the High School Counselors' Picks

	Rank	College Counselor Score (out of 5):
Harvard University Cambridge, MA	1	4.9
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA	1	4.9
Princeton University Princeton, NJ	1	4.9
Yale University New Haven, CT	1	4.9
Brown University Providence, RI	5	4.8
Columbia University New York, NY	5	4.8
Cornell University Ithaca, NY	5	4.8
Stanford University Stanford, CA	5	4.8
California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA	9	4.7
Dartmouth College Hanover, NH	9	4.7
Duke University Durham, NC	9	4.7
Georgetown University Washington, DC	9	4.7
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD	9	4.7
Northwestern University Evanston, IL	9	4.7
University of California--Berkeley Berkeley, CA	9	4.7
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA	9	4.7
Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA	17	4.6
University of Chicago Chicago, IL	17	4.6
University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA	17	4.6
Rice University Houston, TX	20	4.5
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	20	4.5
University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC	20	4.5
University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN	20	4.5
Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO	20	4.5
Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA	25	4.4
College of William and Mary Williamsburg, VA	25	4.4
Emory University Atlanta, GA	25	4.4
Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA	25	4.4
New York University New York, NY	25	4.4
Tufts University Medford, MA	25	4.4
University of California--Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	25	4.4
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA	25	4.4
Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN	25	4.4
Boston University Boston, MA	34	4.2
Brandeis University Waltham, MA	34	4.2
Fordham University New York, NY	34	4.2
George Washington University Washington, DC	34	4.2
Purdue University--West Lafayette West Lafayette, IN	34	4.2
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY	34	4.2
Syracuse University Syracuse, NY	34	4.2
University of California--Davis Davis, CA	34	4.2
University of Minnesota--Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN	34	4.2
University of Wisconsin--Madison Madison, WI	34	4.2
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC	34	4.2
Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH	45	4.1
Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA	45	4.1
Missouri University of Science & Technology Rolla, MO	45	4.1
Pennsylvania State University--University Park University Park, PA	45	4.1
Pepperdine University Malibu, CA	45	4.1
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey--New Brunswick Piscataway, NJ	45	4.1
Texas A&M University--College Station College Station, TX	45	4.1
University of California--Irvine Irvine, CA	45	4.1
University of California--San Diego La Jolla, CA	45	4.1
University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL	45	4.1
University of Kansas Lawrence, KS	45	4.1
University of Texas--Austin Austin, TX	45	4.1
Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA	45	4.1
American University Washington, DC	58	4.0
Auburn University Auburn University, AL	58	4.0
Baylor University Waco, TX	58	4.0
Howard University Washington, DC	58	4.0
Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL	58	4.0
Marquette University Milwaukee, WI	58	4.0
Miami University--Oxford Oxford, OH	58	4.0
Northeastern University Boston, MA	58	4.0
Ohio State University--Columbus Columbus, OH	58	4.0
Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX	58	4.0
Tulane University New Orleans, LA	58	4.0
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA	58	4.0
University of Massachusetts--Amherst Amherst, MA	58	4.0
University of Rochester Rochester, NY	58	4.0
University of Washington Seattle, WA	58	4.0
Clemson University Clemson, SC	73	3.9
Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO	73	3.9
George Fox University Newberg, OR	73	3.9
Indiana University--Bloomington Bloomington, IN	73	3.9
Michigan State University East Lansing, MI	73	3.9
Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI	73	3.9
North Carolina State University--Raleigh Raleigh, NC	73	3.9
Samford University Birmingham, AL	73	3.9
St. Louis University St. Louis, MO	73	3.9
University of California--Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA	73	3.9
University of Connecticut Storrs, CT	73	3.9
University of Florida Gainesville, FL	73	3.9
University of Maryland--College Park College Park, MD	73	3.9
University of Miami Coral Gables, FL	73	3.9
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA	73	3.9
University of St. Thomas St. Paul, MN	73	3.9
Brigham Young University--Provo Provo, UT	89	3.8
Catholic University of America Washington, DC	89	3.8
Clark University Worcester, MA	89	3.8
DePaul University Chicago, IL	89	3.8
Drexel University Philadelphia, PA	89	3.8
Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL	89	3.8
Indiana University-Purdue University--Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN	89	3.8
Iowa State University Ames, IA	89	3.8
Kansas State University Manhattan, KS	89	3.8
North Dakota State University Fargo, ND	89	3.8
Ohio University Athens, OH	89	3.8
Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK	89	3.8
Polytechnic Institute of New York University Brooklyn, NY	89	3.8
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey--Newark Newark, NJ	89	3.8
Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ	89	3.8
St. John's University Queens, NY	89	3.8
SUNY--Binghamton Binghamton, NY	89	3.8
Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX	89	3.8
Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX	89	3.8
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL	89	3.8
University of Colorado--Boulder Boulder, CO	89	3.8
University of Georgia Athens, GA	89	3.8
University of Kentucky Lexington, KY	89	3.8
University of Missouri Columbia, MO	89	3.8
University of Oklahoma Norman, OK	89	3.8
University of Oregon Eugene, OR	89	3.8
University of San Diego San Diego, CA	89	3.8
University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA	89	3.8
University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD	89	3.8
University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN	89	3.8
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA	89	3.8
Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO	120	3.7
Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA	120	3.7
George Mason University Fairfax, VA	120	3.7
Louisiana State University--Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, LA	120	3.7
New School New York, NY	120	3.7
South Dakota State University Brookings, SD	120	3.7
Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ	120	3.7
St. Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN	120	3.7
SUNY--Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY	120	3.7
Temple University Philadelphia, PA	120	3.7
Texas A&M University--Commerce Commerce, TX	120	3.7
Texas A&M University--Kingsville Kingsville, TX	120	3.7
University at Albany--SUNY Albany, NY	120	3.7
University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	120	3.7
University of California--Riverside Riverside, CA	120	3.7
University of California--Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA	120	3.7
University of Colorado--Denver Denver, CO	120	3.7
University of Delaware Newark, DE	120	3.7
University of Denver Denver, CO	120	3.7
University of Idaho Moscow, ID	120	3.7
University of North Carolina--Charlotte Charlotte, NC	120	3.7
University of North Carolina--Greensboro Greensboro, NC	120	3.7
University of South Carolina--Columbia Columbia, SC	120	3.7
Washington State University Pullman, WA	120	3.7
Florida State University Tallahassee, FL	144	3.6
Georgia State University Atlanta, GA	144	3.6
Idaho State University Pocatello, ID	144	3.6
New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ	144	3.6
Oregon State University Corvallis, OR	144	3.6
San Diego State University San Diego, CA	144	3.6
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse, NY	144	3.6
Texas Woman's University Denton, TX	144	3.6
University at Buffalo--SUNY Buffalo, NY	144	3.6
University of Alabama--Birmingham Birmingham, AL	144	3.6
University of Illinois--Chicago Chicago, IL	144	3.6
University of Louisville Louisville, KY	144	3.6
University of Maryland--Baltimore County Baltimore, MD	144	3.6
University of Massachusetts--Boston Boston, MA	144	3.6
University of Missouri--Kansas City Kansas City, MO	144	3.6
University of Nebraska--Lincoln Lincoln, NE	144	3.6
University of New Hampshire Durham, NH	144	3.6
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND	144	3.6
University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI	144	3.6
University of Texas--Dallas Richardson, TX	144	3.6
University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK	144	3.6
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT	144	3.6
University of Vermont Burlington, VT	144	3.6
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA	144	3.6
Wayne State University Detroit, MI	144	3.6
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ	169	3.5
Ball State University Muncie, IN	169	3.5
Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH	169	3.5
Clarkson University Potsdam, NY	169	3.5
Florida A&M University Tallahassee, FL	169	3.5
Hofstra University Hempstead, NY	169	3.5
Illinois State University Normal, IL	169	3.5
Immaculata University Immaculata, PA	169	3.5
Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA	169	3.5
Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS	169	3.5
Montana State University Bozeman, MT	169	3.5
North Carolina A&T State University Greensboro, NC	169	3.5
Pacific University Forest Grove, OR	169	3.5
University of Dayton Dayton, OH	169	3.5
University of Maine Orono, ME	169	3.5
University of Mississippi University, MS	169	3.5
University of Missouri--St. Louis St. Louis, MO	169	3.5
University of Texas--El Paso El Paso, TX	169	3.5
University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI	169	3.5
University of Wyoming Laramie, WY	169	3.5
West Virginia University Morgantown, WV	169	3.5
Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN	190	3.4
Kent State University Kent, OH	190	3.4
Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL	190	3.4
Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA	190	3.4
Pace University New York, NY	190	3.4
South Carolina State University Orangeburg, SC	190	3.4
University of Alabama--Huntsville Huntsville, AL	190	3.4
University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR	190	3.4
University of Hawaii--Manoa Honolulu, HI	190	3.4
University of Louisiana--Lafayette Lafayette, LA	190	3.4
University of Montana Missoula, MT	190	3.4
University of North Texas Denton, TX	190	3.4
University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS	190	3.4
University of Texas--Arlington Arlington, TX	190	3.4
University of the Pacific Stockton, CA	190	3.4
Wichita State University Wichita, KS	190	3.4
Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA	206	3.3
East Carolina University Greenville, NC	206	3.3
East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN	206	3.3
Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL	206	3.3
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA	206	3.3
Jackson State University Jackson, MS	206	3.2
Portland State University Portland, OR	206	3.3
Regent University Virginia Beach, VA	206	3.2
Southern Illinois University--Carbondale Carbondale, IL	206	3.3
Tennessee State University Nashville, TN	206	3.3
Trinity International University Deerfield, IL	206	3.3
University of Alaska--Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK	206	3.3
University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH	206	3.3
University of Hartford West Hartford, CT	206	3.3
University of Memphis Memphis, TN	206	3.3
University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO	206	3.3
Adelphi University Garden City, NY	222	3.2
Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, GA	222	3.2
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA	222	3.2
Morgan State University Baltimore, MD	222	3.2
Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ	222	3.2
Oakland University Rochester, MI	222	3.2
Spalding University Louisville, KY	222	3.2
Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, TN	222	3.2
University of Arkansas--Little Rock Little Rock, AR	222	3.2
University of Central Florida Orlando, FL	222	3.2
University of Houston Houston, TX	222	3.2
University of Massachusetts--Lowell Lowell, MA	222	3.2
University of Nevada--Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV	222	3.2
University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM	222	3.2
University of South Florida Tampa, FL	222	3.2
Utah State University Logan, UT	222	3.2
Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI	222	3.2
Widener University Chester, PA	222	3.2
Andrews University Berrien Springs, MI	240	3.1
Biola University La Mirada, CA	240	3.1
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI	240	3.1
Long Island University--C.W. Post Campus Brookville, NY	240	3.1
New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM	240	3.1
Oral Roberts University Tulsa, OK	240	3.1
University of La Verne La Verne, CA	240	3.1
Yeshiva University New York, NY	240	3.1
Barry University Miami Shores, FL	248	3.0
Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH	248	3.0
Union Institute and University Cincinnati, OH	248	3.0
University of Akron Akron, OH	248	3.0
University of Nevada--Reno Reno, NV	248	3.0
University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA	248	3.0
University of Toledo Toledo, OH	248	3.0
Wright State University Dayton, OH	248	3.0
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL	256	2.8
Florida International University Miami, FL	256	2.8
University of West Florida Pensacola, FL	256	2.8
Wilmington University New Castle, DE	256	2.8
Nova Southeastern University Ft. Lauderdale, FL	260	2.7
University of Bridgeport Bridgeport, CT	260	2.7

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Best Colleges: High School Counselor Rankings of National Universities

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