Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt, in Nashville, Tennessee, pairs serious academics with SEC sports and a leafy arboretum campus in a growing music city. First-year students live together in the Ingram Commons, which builds community early, and the school is known for education at Peabody College, music at the Blair School, business, engineering and medicine. If you want top-tier academics, a close-knit feel and a lively city for concerts and internships, it is a good choice.