Right around this time of year, high school seniors are making some tough decisions — in just a few short weeks, it’ll be time to fill out those enrollment forms. Before picking out dorm décor to suit that new college’s colors, check out our list. We’ve found the 25 schools that create the best environment for leading a fit, healthy, and happy life. For more deets on how we ranked the schools, scroll to the bottom.
1. UCLA
We can only assume UCLA students never go inside. The school offers an impressive outdoor rec center (in addition to a traditional indoor one) with a team-building ropes course, pools, kayaking, and picnic areas. And if all that relaxing gets too strenuous, students will appreciate the health center (ranked number one by The Princeton Review), which offers acupuncture and massage therapy. There’s also nutrition programming from the health center and the comprehensive FITWELL program with fitness classes, online educational resources, mind and body workshops, and even chair massages.
2. Stanford University
Photo: Linda A. Cicero/Stanford News Service
Some of the happiest students in the country are at Stanford, according to The Princeton Review, and we can see why. Students give the food here an A+ at College Prowler, and many dining options include late night dining ’til 2 am. Meanwhile, the gym is open until 1 am, so studying will never get in the way of a sweat session. Not to be outdone, the health center is also ranked in the top 25 by The Princeton Review. There are several student athletic groups, and the three-step BeWell program with resources for assessment, planning, and executing health and fitness changes.
3. University of North Dakota
Photo: Chuck Kimmerle/University of North Dakota
Students aiming to eat healthy will love UND’s “guiding stars” rating system, which serves as the yellow brick road to healthy dining options. And for the price of $4,000 per year, students get unlimited access to the dining halls, which support local North Dakota farmers. (For the record, the national average for the cost of dining in 2009-2010 was $4,300, which doesn’t necessarily include unlimited meals.) Recreation facilities are even more highly rated on College Prowler — as well they should be. The $20 million gym, opened in 2006, was a gift from the students, who voted to up tuition for six years to pay for it. The gym offers a huge array of free fitness and health assessments and just about all the equipment we could ever want. Our favorite thing about UND, though, is its 7 Dimensions approach to wellness, which includes often-overlooked factors like emotional, environmental, and spiritual health.
4. Colby College
Photo: Jesse Goldman '12/Colby College
Tabata training and CrossFit classes at the fitness center are perfect for students who want to work out outside the box (pun intended), and the fitness complex also boasts a pool, indoor track, and ice rink. The health center has convenient hours, including weekends, and an emergency response team of volunteer EMTs that serve the campus community. Colby embraces sustainable dining, harvesting some food straight from its thriving campus garden. And dining services’ hard work is rewarded with an A+ score on College Prowler.
5. University of Georgia
Photo by Dot Paul
UGA gets major points for its highly-rated food, plus the school offers nutrition consultations and smart-eating courses with a dietitian. The University of Georgia was also one of the only schools we found with 24-hour dining during the week, so even after a late-night study session students don’t need to resort to fast food. The school’s gym offers a Biggest Loser program (with prizes!) and several other wellness programs. The health center has dental, dermatology, and vision care, plus cooking classes and wellness workshops.
6. Bowdoin College
Photo by Bob Handelman
With dining services that include a small army of chefs and dieticians, it’s no surprise students love Bowdoin’s food. The dining halls serve fresh foods straight from the school’s organic garden, and Bowdoin’s food is ranked tops by both College Prowler and The Princeton Review. The school also boasts a 3-year-old fitness center with a selection of free classes comparable to the selection at a much larger university. The health center offers wellness classes, too, but the stellar programming doesn’t end there. There’s an outing club that goes on more than 100 active outings per year and a women’s center with groups for students dealing with poor body image, eating disorders, and discrimination. Bowdoin even has — get this — a craft center.
7. University of Texas at Austin
Photo: Marsha Miller/The University of Texas at Austin
Good health reigns supreme at UT-Austin. The health center is ranked number 4 by The Princeton Review, and more than 50 percent of students say it’s high-quality and convenient on College Prowler. The center offers a lending library of books and DVDs, and the school also has a wellness network with a slew of events like mindfulness meditation, taekwondo, and community garden work time. Dining halls also make it easy to pick healthier choices thanks to “healthy suggestions” at every meal.
8. St. Olaf College
Photo Courtesy of St. Olaf College
Students at College Prowler love the food at St. Olaf. And that’s good news, since 90 percent of students live on campus and must have a dining plan. The dining hall is catered by Bon Appetit, which has pretty impressive standards for food selection, plus there’s always one all-vegan station.
9. United States Military Academy, West Point
Photo Courtesy of The U.S. Military Academy at West Point
It comes as no surprise that physical fitness is a huge deal at this military academy. According to The Princeton Review, West Point’s health care is also top-of-the-line (third in the country). Cadets have access to military medical care plus a network of local providers including dental care. But it’s not all work and no play. Cadets can fulfill their competitive sports requirement with activities like skiing, martial arts, and marathon teams, among others.
10. James Madison University
Photo Courtesy of James Madison University
Students who can’t stand an overcrowded Zumba session will love JMU’s approach to fitness classes. Students must register online in advance to secure a spot in class, and the gym offers a huge range of class options (with video clips online for timid first-timers). The rec also offers a huge range of programs from outdoor adventures to nutrition classes.
11. Yale University
Photo Courtesy of Yale University
At Yale, each residential hall has dining services that are open continuously until 9 pm, making it easy to grab a meal on a busy day. And that meal is pretty likely to be delicious and healthy — Yale gets an A+ for food from College Prowler and is highly rated for healthy and organic foods (which may even come from the on-campus garden, lovingly tended by students). Meanwhile, Yale’s health care plan gives students access to the full Yale Health network, including primary care physicians.
12. University of Pittsburgh
Photo Courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh
Dining at Pitt is all about keeping it local. Dining Services hosts “meet the farmer” events in the dining hall, focuses on local and organic foods, and composts both pre- and post-consumer waste. They also utilize easy-to-understand nutrition icons at each meal station. There are several fitness facilities including 24-hour access fitness centers in each dorm. And administrators here take a holistic approach to health, as evidenced by the Healthy U Program. Our favorite aspect is the Stress Free Zone in the student union, which offers meditation clinics and a relaxing space to chill out.
13. Lewis & Clark College
Photo Courtesy of Lewis and Clark College
Students say the healthy, organic, and vegetarian options at Lewis & Clark are excellent, and dining services focuses on farm-to-fork and low-carbon initiatives. Required phys ed courses ensure students stay active, and with classes like hula dance, snowboarding, and scuba diving, we’re ready to enroll, too. Gractivity, anyone?
14. Rice University
Photo Courtesy of Rice University
Students at Rice definitely won’t go hungry. There are dining halls in every residential college that serve three meals per day, and students’ meal plans are unlimited. And according to The Princeton Review, Rice University has the happiest students in the U.S.A. This may be thanks to its comprehensive wellbeing resource site or the many fitness events organized by the recreation department.
15. UC Santa Barbara
Photo by Nell Campbell
Student health coverage at UC Santa Barbara is second to none. It includes dental, dermatology, and vision care — a trifecta that’s notably absent at most schools’ health centers. Nutrition facts for dining hall eats can be accessed at NetNutrition, which is iPhone-friendly. (No more waffling between the Lucky Charms and Special K!) And for those looking for a gym with a little more, how about a pottery studio? Yes, in the gym.
16. Washington University in St. Louis
Photo: Dan Donovan/WUSTL
Healthy dining is a priority here, and the university bends over backward to make sure students are eating well. Residential colleges have full kitchens and the dining hall boasts Studio 40, a demo kitchen. No time between classes? Students can use “Webfood” to pre-order meals for pick-up from the dining halls in a pinch. Washington University also takes a unique approach to health; while visits with a doc require payment, health education opportunities are free of charge.
17. University of Missouri
Photo Courtesy of MizzouRec
When it comes to college gyms, Mizzou’s fitness facilities are world class — it did make our list of the 21 Most Innovative Gyms in the U.S., after all. From the “beach club” to the “jungle gym,” all the equipment is top of the line. Students are also generally happy with the health center and dining, too (so we’re assuming they actually leave the gym, though we’re not sure why…).
18. Stephen F. Austin State University
Photo: Hardy Meredith/SFA Photographer
Relaxation is the name of the game at Stephen F. Austin University. Students can take advantage of the stellar weather while lounging in the lazy river, or for the more active types, there’s also a rock wall and sand volleyball courts. The school’s dining website is also a good resource for nutrition information.
19. Tufts University
Photo: Emily Zilm/Tufts University
Freshmen at Tufts are required to have unlimited meals, so they’re sure to experience the school’s health-centric dining. Interestingly, students can actually order-in takeout and pay with their meal plans — we’re still not sure if that counts as a pro or a con. A definite plus? Chiropractic treatment and massage therapy are available at the health center, which 71 percent of students say is high-quality andconvenient.
20. Virginia Tech
Photo: Jim Stroup/Virginia Tech
Healthy food is all-important at Virginia Tech. It ranks number 10 on College Prowler’s list of healthiest dining options (as rated by students) and number 3 on The Princeton Review’s list of best food. The fitness center offers a variety of programs including a running club and a six-week workout incentive program.
21. Wheaton College
Photo Courtesy of Wheaton College (IL)
According to The Princeton Review, Wheaton has the best dorm food in the country. The fitness center also offers free classes including yoga and Pilates, which come at a premium at many schools. And for students who plan to get injured or ill, Wheaton’s the place to do it. The school offers a self-care center with free over-the-counter meds, loan crutches, and heating pads. There’s also shuttle service bringing students to off-campus appointments as well as on-campus massage therapy at the health center.
22. Oberlin College
Photo Courtesy of Oberlin College
Oberlin’s all about flexibility. Students who want to dodge Oberlin’s $5,000-per-year meal plan can choose to participate in a co-op instead. Co-ops involve cooking, cleaning, and eating with a group of like-minded (like-stomached?) students. Either way, students say there are excellent vegetarian, vegan, healthy, and organic options. While health center walk-in hours are limited, there is a 24-hour nurse line.
23. Scripps College
Photo by Ian Bradshaw
As part of the Claremont Consortium, this women’s school shares many facilities with Claremont McKenna (next on our list). Students say Scripps has the best dining hall food, though. And women looking to sweat it out without any grunting men around will be grateful for women-only hours at the gym.
24. Claremont McKenna College
Photo Courtesy of Claremont McKenna
Along with most of the other Claremont Consortium schools, Claremont McKenna earns an A+ for its food from College Prowler. Since 95 percent of students live on campus and campus residents must have a meal plan, the dining halls’ health efforts have a huge audience. Recreation equipment is available in dorms, while there are also plenty of fun phys ed options.
25. University of Scranton
Photo Courtesy of University of Scranton
This school wins for having the newest fitness center of any of the universities on our list — it opened in October 2011. Students on College Prowler also say good, healthy food is as inexpensive as fast food, encouraging healthy eating. Students rate the quality of food very highly.
Source: http://www.greatist.com/health/25-healthiest-colleges/#
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