Sewanee, TN
Among The University of the Souths many traditions, the one that most distinguishes its students is their clothing. Unlike at most other schools, wearing pajamas or T-shirts to class is not typical. Instead, many students elect to dress up for class, as a way to show respect for professors and the academic experience.After class, students may need to change clothes if they want to explore all of the campus surrounding wilderness. The southern Tennessee universitys large swath of property, known as the Domain, offers opportunities for rock climbing, mountain biking and caving.All students are required to live on campus unless they are granted an exception. The campus is also home to more than 100 student organizations, including more than 20 Greek organizations. The Sewanee Tigers mostly compete in the NCAA Division III Southern Athletic Association. The football team plays on the oldest field in the South.The University of the South has about three dozen majors, and students must also complete a set of rigorous general education courses. Each summer, the school hosts the Sewanee Writers Conference, which offers readings and workshops exploring the craft. Nearly half the student body studies abroad before graduating. For shorter trips within Tennessee, the campus is a 45-minute drive from Chattanooga and 90 minutes from Nashville.The university is owned and governed by dioceses of the Episcopal Church, and it is the only school in the country to bear this distinction. However, the university is open to students of all faiths. Students with high GPAs are inducted into the Order of the Gownsmen and receive priority selection for dorm rooms and classes. Notable alumni of The University of the South include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham, National Geographic photographer Stephen Alvarez and dozens of esteemed clergymen, including the Most Rev. Edmond Browning and the Most Rev. John Maury Allin, former presiding bishops of the Episcopal Church.
Walla Walla, WA
Campus activities are a big part of student life at Whitman College, a liberal arts institution in the rural small town of Walla Walla, Washington. Students come out in droves for intramural sports - about 70 percent compete on some team - and Greek life. Though the school only has a handful of sororities and fraternities, about a third of the student body is involved in the Greek system. About 20 percent of students compete on the Whit varsity sports teams, all members of the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference. If going Greek or playing sports isnt your thing, there are more than 100 other student clubs and organizations to check out, too. The campus has an indoor rock climbing facility, where students can climb for fun or for course credit. Outdoor recreation lovers can also earn academic credits in unique courses such as glacier mountaineering, kayaking or wilderness skills. The student Outdoor Program coordinates just-for-fun recreation trips, too, like moonlight sea kayaking and whitewater rafting. Students at Whitman can also take advantage of the schools western location by enrolling in the unique Semester in the West program, a three-month journey through Oregon, Nevada, California, Utah and Idaho in a converted horse trailer.Freshmen and sophomores must live on campus, which is three blocks from downtown Walla Walla. The town is rich in local charm and home to the popular Walla Walla Balloon Stampede, an annual parade of hot air balloons. Located in southeastern Washington, Walla Walla is not in close proximity to any major towns, but students can get to Spokane, Washington., in 2.5 hours; Portland, Ore., in four hours; and Seattle in 4.5 hours. Students begin and end their education at Whitman in unique fashion: All freshmen must take a two-semester transition program into a liberal arts education called Encounters, and all seniors must complete an assessment before graduation which typically includes an oral component.In addition to the 45 majors offered through the college, Whitman students can earn a combination undergraduate/graduate degree at select prestigious universities across the country. Interested students complete three years at Whitman before transferring to Duke University, for example, for a two-year graduate program in forestry or environmental management. Notable alumni include actor Adam West of "Batman" fame; John Markoff, a New York Times journalist; and Matthew Ames, director of research at the Mayo Clinic.