Economic research institute dubs Ann Arbor No. 1 small city to attend college
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
Boston was ranked as the top major city to attend college, San Jose, Ca, was ranked as the best mid-sized city to attend college and Ithaca, NY, home of Cornell University, was ranked as the top small college town.
Fellow Big Ten cities East Lansing, Madison, Wis. and Lincoln, NE. also were highly ranked among small metro college destinations.
This year Ann Arbor has been ranked the No. 9 college town in America by Livability.com and the 10th-best college town in the country by the Princeton Review. U.S. News and World Report, Forbes magazine and Away.com also have highlighted this city as being one of the best college destinations in the country.
Unlike many rankings, the AIER uses quantifiable measures and a scientific process to judge America's college towns, looking at the following factors:
- Student concentration
- Number of international students
- Level of degree attainment
- Cost of living
- Number of cultural and entertainment venues
- People who get from place to place without a car
- Percentage of workforce in the arts, education, science, engineering and management
- Earning potential
- Entrepreneurial activity
- Unemployment rate
- Brain gain or drain
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
say it plain
Tue, Oct 2, 2012 : 3:51 p.m.
What about the best medium-sized incorporated village to attend college?! What about THAT?! Someone, quick, write another list and answer this burning question, so some small news-outlet aggregating service can send out a notice!!!
Richard Carter
Tue, Oct 2, 2012 : 1:35 p.m.
And Ann Arbor is now on the top 10 list of places that are on the most top 10 lists.
Kai Petainen
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 10:25 p.m.
ok, i found a link http://tinyurl.com/767ay85 That shows the metro areas. Technically, this award is not specifically about ann arbor... it's for the entire washtenaw county. That means, that Ypsilanti was voted the #1 location as well.
simone66
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 9:33 p.m.
I'd have more respect for this 'poll' if it recognized A2 as a medium-sized city. Who in their right mind consider the A2 metro area, small? They are just nickle and diming now to create new polls.
anti-thug
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 7:06 p.m.
its nice as long as you can avoid 4 years without loosing an eye in a street assault :)
Joseph Welch's Ghost
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 6:25 p.m.
I'm a huge Homer, but any survey that ranks Honolulu lower than East Lansing has gotta make you wonder.
Ron Granger
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 6:18 p.m.
This article is incomplete without a photo of someone wearing socks with sandals.
Brad
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 6:35 p.m.
Extra credit if they are black socks and you're riding a recumbent bike!
Top Cat
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:52 p.m.
How did we beat Trenton-Ewing, NJ ?
Tesla
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:34 p.m.
zzzzzzzzz, silly. This.
Soulful Adrenaline
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 7:13 p.m.
Then finish where you left off. Who else is going to deliver free energy?
xmo
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:31 p.m.
Yippie!
CynicA2
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:30 p.m.
Metro A2 = Washtenaw County = about 345,000, including A2
anti-thug
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 8:32 p.m.
true but it always people who dint know crap who talk fondly of this "small town" to point where it seems like you are only pushing hay.
SEC Fan
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:26 p.m.
"small metro area"? 345,000 people is small?
anti-thug
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 7:10 p.m.
yes Ann Arbor a small town say the mayor.
Kai Petainen
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:22 p.m.
small metro is classified as a city with 250,000 or more. but, ann arbor's population is about 114,000 how did ann arbor even qualify for this ranking?
SEC Fan
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:27 p.m.
Metro area is 345,000 people. small metro must be larger than 250K. madison alone has 260K. It's "metro" area is over half a million.
Brad
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:27 p.m.
A check from SPARK?
Ian
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:22 p.m.
Only more parks can solve this.
CynicA2
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:21 p.m.
Soooooo over these stupid surveys... they are a lousy way to pick a place to live, regardless of methodology. Spend a few bucks, and go pay a visit, instead.
CynicA2
Thu, Oct 4, 2012 : 3:27 p.m.
I would rather decide what is important to me, and make my own list - one man's "good place" is another's anathema. Never placed much stock in other people's opinions, in any case.
Angry Moderate
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:50 p.m.
I imagine that having a list of good places helps one decide which cities to visit.
sigdiamond
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 4:57 p.m.
ordmad, don't forget about the street gangs in West Park, the heroin production labs underneath the Burton Tower, and the robots everywhere who eat old people's medicine for fuel.
Itchy
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:46 p.m.
And the troll that makes and sells tin foil hats by Liberty Plaza.
ordmad
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 4:35 p.m.
The Mayor, his cabal on Council, all the public safety cutbacks, the underground garage, etc...., have destroyed this city.
Itchy
Tue, Oct 2, 2012 : 9:26 a.m.
Who cares?!
ordmad
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 8:05 p.m.
Here's the thing: I can't tell whether the current "negative 9" status means that people missed that my comment was sarcasm or got that it was.
Linda Peck
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 7:27 p.m.
I really like the new underground parking! Have you tried it yet? I have.
Angry Moderate
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:49 p.m.
It's actually a great city despite all of the BS at City Hall.
Ron Granger
Mon, Oct 1, 2012 : 5:23 p.m.
Obviously.