America's 25 Hot Schools

HOTTEST FOR THE TECH-SAVVY
Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.
Dartmouth's first computer was so expensive that only faculty and administrators were allowed to use it. But Profs. John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz understood that computers were tools for everyone. Forty years ago they created the computer language BASIC, which helped hasten the personal-computer revolution. The school has been in the forefront of technological change ever since, with one of the first e-mail programs and an early campus computer network. Dartmouth was also the first Ivy to install Wi-Fi on campus. The school offers free software to students so they can turn their laptops into telephones using the school's Wi-Fi—a good thing, because regular cell-phone service on the rural campus can be spotty.

HOTTEST FOR STUDYING ABROAD
Tufts University, Medford, Mass.
Long before globalization became a cliche, Tufts administrators were figuring out how to teach students to be citizens of the world. "Tufts likes students who want to study abroad," says Sheila Bayne, director of overseas programs. This translates into a strong language requirement, and a chance to learn a new culture in one of Tufts's own centers in such countries as Germany, Chile, China or Ghana. About 40 percent of Tufts juniors—as well as some seniors and sophomores—are away during the academic year. For graduates who find their calling in working overseas, there's Tufts's famed Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy just down the street.

HOTTEST FOR ITS HONOR CODE
Haverford College, Haverford, Pa.
Quakers founded Haverford in 1833, and even though the school is now secular, this academically rigorous liberal-arts college retains many traces of its heritage. The honor code is central to the college's values and covers almost every aspect of academic and social life. Take-home and unproctored exams are routine, and students live in dorms without resident advisers because they are expected to be able to handle any issues that arise among themselves. On the rare occasions when a student breaches the code, the student-run Honor Council determines the consequences. "Haverford expects people to learn from one another, debate and argue with one another—but to do so respectfully," says Rob Killion, director of admissions.

HOTTEST FOR POLITICAL JUNKIES
George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
With a campus next door to the World Bank and down the street from the White House, GW is a poli-sci major's dream. Professors often consult for the government, which gives their classroom perspective a practical edge. The school also encourages internships at government agencies, think tanks and advocacy organizations. And for a study break, students can check out CNN's political-affairs show "Crossfire," which is telecast live from the campus. Another plus: the fixed-tuition plan, which keeps rates flat until graduation. You don't need to be a policy wonk to appreciate that.

HOTTEST FOR GREEKS WITH BRAINS
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Michigan took the lead in the recent affirmative-action case that went to the Supreme Court, and has been an innovator in multidisciplinary approaches to everything from music to medicine. "A smaller university might excel in one subject but not everything," says spokesman Julie Peterson. "We give our students everything." That includes a lively social life. About 15 percent of undergrads go Greek, which students say helps them find a friendlier community within the vast student population (23,000 undergrads). Fraternities and sororities are especially popular with the many out-of-state students, says Mary Beth Seiler, the Greek-life director. "If you're far away from home and looking to connect, it provides an opportunity," she says.

HOTTEST FOR DOUBLE MAJORS
Rice University, Houston, Texas
Most schools call for students to declare a major by sophomore year, but Rice doesn't require that commitment until junior year—which means students have lots of time to explore different passions. That may be one reason that nearly two thirds at Rice end up double-majoring. "We have an extremely ambitious student body," says Ann Wright, vice president for enrollment. The most common combination is science and humanities. The school is best known nationally for its engineering and science curriculum, but the social sciences are also becoming strong. Rice stands out another way: although it's a major research institution, it feels relatively intimate because it has only 2,800 undergraduates.