College Review: Bucknell University
Lisa shares her on-the-ground perspective from a recent visit to Bucknell University. Bucknell is a private university that serves mostly undergraduates–about 4,000 of them. It is located near the charming small town of Lewisburg, PA, and pretty much nothing else, except for Harrisburg, PA, about one hour away. Being roughly two to three hours from major cities such as New York, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia makes the school a bit more challenging to reach, despite the shuttles that Bucknell runs to major airports during high travel times. What the school lacks in urban proximity, it makes up for in beauty, [...]
College Review: Gettysburg College
On a recent visit, Lisa toured Gettysburg College and found a campus rich in history, strong, academics, and understated charm. Located in central Pennsylvania, not too far from the Maryland border, is a small liberal arts college set right next to the national park commemorating the battle of Gettysburg. In fact, the college, founded before the Civil War in 1832, was used as a hospital for both Union and Confederate soldiers, leading to rumors that the college’s oldest buildings are haunted, including a freshman dorm, which is visited by the spirit of a young boy who died by accidentally falling [...]
College Review: Villanova University
Villanova University Campus Overview and First Impressions At Villanova, the level of energy and activity that crackles around campus is undeniable. This mid-size Augustinian Catholic university, right outside Philadelphia, is growing in both size, with the purchase of two nearby liberal arts campuses, and in stature. Construction is everywhere you look, and the school hopes to have its new, massive library building completed by next year. Students on campus appeared happy, but energized and focused. Of course, it probably helped that my visit coincided with the beginning of March Madness, in which their highly ranked basketball teams are bound to [...]
College Review: Bennington College
Founded in 1932 by educators who felt traditional colleges were too rigid and conservative, Bennington College has always done things differently. Located in the fifth-largest town in Vermont, Bennington is a school for students who want freedom—with structure. With just 800 undergraduates and about 1,200 grad students (not all of whom live on campus), the community is small but ambitious, creative, and tightly woven. The campus itself is modern, with sleek, clean-lined buildings set against a backdrop of trees, trails, and wide-open views of the Green Mountains. You're never far from nature here, and many students take full advantage of [...]
College Review: Middlebury College
Founded in 1800, Middlebury College is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the country—and it’s long been known as a place where ideas, community, and global citizenship converge. With just under 2,800 students, Middlebury offers a highly personal experience set against a backdrop of mountains, hiking trails, and snowy ski days. When Lisa visited with a group of college counselors, the landscaping didn’t exactly wow her (more “functional” than “picturesque”), but the academics, student life, and campus culture left a strong impression. Academic Excellence and Flexibility Middlebury students enjoy the best of both worlds: a core curriculum that [...]
College Review: University of Vermont
Lisa visited the University of Vermont (UVM) in September 2025 with a group of fellow college counselors, and it was immediately clear: this is a flagship that punches above its weight. Nestled in the vibrant, lakeside city of Burlington, Vermont, UVM blends academic rigor with a strong sense of community, inclusivity, and access to nature. Despite being the state’s public flagship, UVM feels more intimate than many of its peers, with just over 10,000 undergraduates and a manageable 1,300 graduate students. This smaller size gives students more personal access to faculty and resources, while still offering the full breadth of [...]