With nearly 6,000 colleges in the United States of America, all with their own differences, whether it’s size, campus, or rowdiness of the sporting events, choosing which ones to visit can be daunting. Out of all the colleges in the country, these are the top ones to visit, based on my limited experience.

Located in University Park, Penn State is a must visit for students who prefer a large
school. One incredible monument to visit is the Lion Shrine. The Penn State mascot is the nittany lion and it is tradition to take pictures with the statue to commemorate your visit.
Another incredible attraction is the Berkey Creamery. In the 1980s, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened up a creamery on the Penn State campus. These two men later went on to create the world renowned ice cream brand Ben and Jerry’s.

Although these two attractions are great, Beaver Stadium is the main reason to visit Penn State. The Penn State fans are known for being the most crazy and high spirited fanbase in the country. “The white out game had a great atmosphere to be at and we won,” senior Ethan Kaun said.

Another great college to visit is the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Asheville is a beautiful city located in the Smoky Mountains. Just about 10 minutes outside of downtown Asheville is the Biltmore Estate, the largest privately owned residence in the United States at 178,926 square feet. If you want to buy a ticket, you can sit on the roof of the house in order to see a breathtaking view of the mountains and 8,000 acres of land.

Asheville also hosts a comedy tour called the LaZoom. While learning about the history of the city you will also be entertained by skits from comedians. For all the arcade lovers, Asheville is home to the Asheville Pinball Museum. For just $15, you can visit an all-you-can play arcade containing pinball machines from the past four decades. “All the attractions around the college make it a great place to be and have fun with friends,” senior Devlin McCarthy said

One more college that is a must-see is the University of California, Santa Barbara, located right next to the beach where you can go to hang out with friends or even study in the sand. California is also known for having the best golf in the country and in the Santa Barbara area there are seven golf courses to explore. “I feel like a college near the beach would be a big advantage because when students get off of class, going to the beach would provide a sense of freedom,” senior Bhagat Singh said.