The Hot Schools Of 2004

Waltham, Mass.

A few years ago, folks outside Massachusetts might never have heard of Bentley. Today the school of 3,800 undergraduates is enjoying a spike in applications. Bentley markets itself as "America's first business university" and says it focuses on future-CEO types; this year it had a record of 763 firms recruiting on campus. It also draws students interested in the arts--well, the business of the arts. Kate Davy, dean of arts and sciences, is a former theater critic.

Business-minded students also look at Babson and Bryant colleges.

MOST FUN-LOVING

Carleton College, Northfield, Minn.

Here's a high-flyin' statistic provided by a school: Carleton has about "1.9 Frisbees per student," says Paul Thiboutot, dean of admissions. Carleton is also the kind of place where the president tells a ghost story on Halloween. Located 45 minutes from the Twin Cities, in a town of 17,000, Carleton offers students 17 "interest houses," including a yoga house. More than two thirds of its 1,900 students study abroad. But it all comes at a price: the bill for 2003-04 will be $34,395, making it the costliest of our choices.