SI: The Best College Towns in America

[SWC75]

The top 25 best college towns in America

Yes, we're on the list. I was surprised that some big cities like Boston, Atlanta and Chicago were included. I though college sports didn't mean much in the big cities. There's an emphasis on football schools and especially the SEC. In fact I think we're the only one there primarily for basketball.

 

[Orijinal]

#6. I'll take it. Was Cuse #1 last year?

Of course, everyone has to take a jab because they know little about Syracuse. Not a tourist destination, cold, not much to do. Blah blah blah

 

[Briancuse]

The top 25 best college towns in America

Yes, we're on the list. I was surprised that some big cities like Boston, Atlanta and Chicago were included. I though college sports didn't mean much in the big cities. There's an emphasis on football schools and especially the SEC. In fact I think we're the only one there primarily for basketball.

I mean it depends on what your looking at, Boston is a great college city, they don't care about Bc there at all.

 

[SWC75]

I mean it depends on what your looking at, Boston is a great college city, they don't care about Bc there at all.

What do they care about? BU?

 

[longtimefan]

What do they care about? BU?

I think they care for the college experience, then college athletics--most of it lower-level, with the exception of hockey, especially BU and BC hockey.

 

[Briancuse]

I think they care for the college experience, then college athletics--most of it lower-level, with the exception of hockey, especially BU and BC hockey.

College hockey is huge up there, they love the beanpot.

 

[wfschrec]

The top 25 best college towns in America

Yes, we're on the list. I was surprised that some big cities like Boston, Atlanta and Chicago were included. I though college sports didn't mean much in the big cities. There's an emphasis on football schools and especially the SEC. In fact I think we're the only one there primarily for basketball.

I take it you've never been to Atlanta during college football season ...

 

[OrangeFoo]

What do they care about? BU?

During the school year I think one out of every 10 bostonians is a college student... might be more than that if you include Cambridge (harvard, MIT) and Sommerville (tufts). One of my favorite weekends in boston when I lived there in the late 90s and early aughts was the head of the charles which is a crew competition where college kids from all over the world come to compete. It's in late october when the leaves are turned and fall is definitely in the air... city is just jam packed with college aged kids. If you're ever on Boylston St, or on Comm Ave up by BC or Havard Square on a weekend you'd really see the college atmosphere.

I can think of very few better places to go to college than Boston. Much more to being a college town than just sports although I guess given the article linked is from fancied they are talking about sports.

 

[shantydaze]

Chicago is a great college sports town, but not a great college town. It has a huge number of B1G alums and to a lesser extent XII alums. It seems every block in Lincoln Park and Lakeview has a bar with a college tie in. Also, the number of alums from conference rivals working together creates a buzz in the office before big games. That being said, no one really cares about the local college sports.

 

[Briancuse]

Chicago is a great college sports town, but not a great college town. It has a huge number of B1G alums and to a lesser extent XII alums. It seems every block in Lincoln Park and Lakeview has a bar with a college tie in. Also, the number of alums from conference rivals working together creates a buzz in the office before big games. That being said, no one really cares about the local college sports.

The problem is they don't really have teams that are any good, Northwestern, Illinois, and Depaul all stink, I think Nd has a decent following in Chicago.

 

[SWC75]

The problem is they don't really have teams that are any good, Northwestern, Illinois, and Depaul all stink, I think Nd has a decent following in Chicago.

ND has a decent following on Mars.

 

[SoBeCuse]

This list is really weird. How the hell Charlottesville, VA is not on there and over Blacksburg is beyond me. Madison and Eugene so low is a crime. Even Austin is too low IMO and Oxford, MS?! I have not been to Oxford but I've been to Athens, GA and it is cool. Maybe not #1 worthy cool but it's cool. Fayetteville, AR even is cool. I can't imagine there being much to do in Oxford and certainly similarly sized places like Fayetteville or Eugene (been there) probably blow it out of the water.

 

[djorange1989]

The problem is they don't really have teams that are any good, Northwestern, Illinois, and Depaul all stink, I think Nd has a decent following in Chicago.

People here are pretty passionate about their alma mater, whether it be Illinois, Northwestern, any other Big 10 school or Notre Dame. The local teams stink but college sports is big here for the reasons Shanty mentions

 

[atcar]

During the school year I think one out of every 10 bostonians is a college student... might be more than that if you include Cambridge (harvard, MIT) and Sommerville (tufts). One of my favorite weekends in boston when I lived there in the late 90s and early aughts was the head of the charles which is a crew competition where college kids from all over the world come to compete. It's in late october when the leaves are turned and fall is definitely in the air... city is just jam packed with college aged kids. If you're ever on Boylston St, or on Comm Ave up by BC or Havard Square on a weekend you'd really see the college atmosphere.

I can think of very few better places to go to college than Boston. Much more to being a college town than just sports although I guess given the article linked is from fancied they are talking about sports.

I remember taking my daughter to Boston for some college visits a couple years ago and one stat someone threw out was that the average age of Boston residents drops to 25 in September because there are so many college students.

 

[Chip]

This list is really weird. How the hell Charlottesville, VA is not on there and over Blacksburg is beyond me. Madison and Eugene so low is a crime. Even Austin is too low IMO and Oxford, MS?! I have not been to Oxford but I've been to Athens, GA and it is cool. Maybe not #1 worthy cool but it's cool. Fayetteville, AR even is cool. I can't imagine there being much to do in Oxford and certainly similarly sized places like Fayetteville or Eugene (been there) probably blow it out of the water.

Blacksburg over Charlottesville is comical.

I've said it a million times, but if not for staying in the wonderful city of Chicago, the South Bend trip would be like hanging out at a bar scene in an Outlet Mall. We went to Auburn, AL for the 2002 game, and I'd take that over South Bend any day of the week as far as college towns go.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Charlottesville over Blacksburg is comical.

I've said it a million times, but if not for staying in the wonderful city of Chicago, the South Bend trip would be like hanging out at a bar scene in an Outlet Mall. We went to Auburn, AL for the 2002 game, and I'd take that over South Bend any day of the week as far as college towns go.

Agree 100%

 

[Orijinal]

Charlottesville over Blacksburg is comical.

I've said it a million times, but if not for staying in the wonderful city of Chicago, the South Bend trip would be like hanging out at a bar scene in an Outlet Mall. We went to Auburn, AL for the 2002 game, and I'd take that over South Bend any day of the week as far as college towns go.

It's nice that Syracuse is #6 but the write-up shows its ignorance about the actual places it talks about. The best thing said about Syracuse is it has an awesome mascot.

 

[Chip]

It's nice that Syracuse is #6 but the write-up shows its ignorance about the actual places it talks about. The best thing said about Syracuse is it has an awesome mascot.

They also said there's nothing to do around the area. On a nice fall day, there's probably more interesting things to do in the surrounding area than in the city.

 

[SoBeCuse]

They also said there's nothing to do around the area. On a nice fall day, there's probably more interesting things to do in the surrounding area than in the city.

Agree re: South Bend. I haven't been to Auburn but have heard good things. I've been to Fayetteville a bunch actually and would take it over South Bend any day. As far as Charlottesville goes; you have Monticello there as well. The wineries, restaurants, breweries, proximity to Blue Ridge/Shenandoah National Park, etc. You could make a case for Charlottesville as number 1 lol. Idiotic article.

 

[OttoMets]

It's nice that Syracuse is #6 but the write-up shows its ignorance about the actual places it talks about. The best thing said about Syracuse is it has an awesome mascot.

Yeah, that writer said that there aren't many tourist draws in the state outside of the city. Must be an unusually dumb kid.

 

[chakka3421]

They also said there's nothing to do around the area. On a nice fall day, there's probably more interesting things to do in the surrounding area than in the city.

Like raking leaves? Apple picking?

 

[Chip]

Like raking leaves? Apple picking?

I mean, if they were creative writers, they could have said like raking leaves, apple picking, or some other activity that's obviously keeping people away from the Dome on any given Saturday (or Friday).

 

[Orijinal]

There are many more things to do in the central new York area than given credit for. Beaches in the summer, hiking in the fall, skiing in the winter are a few main bullet points

 

[Eric15]

Like raking leaves? Apple picking?

I love apple picking... at the grocery store. Much more efficient that way.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

What do they care about? BU?

Hockey. Bean pot tourney is big.