Nature & Selectivity
Rankings
by 
This ranking seeks to give an introductory list to the schools that are both extremely competitive in admissions and have close proximity to exciting outdoor activities.
- 1. Williams College
- 2. Dartmouth College
- 3. Northwestern University
- 4. Harvey Mudd College
- 5. Middlebury College
- 6. Washington and Lee University
- 7. Pomona College
- 8. Amherst College
- 8. Swarthmore College
- 10. Cornell University
- 11. Carleton College
- 12. Princeton University
- 13. Bowdoin College
- 14. Claremont McKenna College
- 15. Connecticut College
- 16. New College of Florida
- 17. University of California, Berkeley
- 17. Wellesley College
- 19. University of Virginia, Charlottesville
- 19. Georgetown University
- 21. Colorado College
- 21. College of William and Mary
- 21. Scripps College
- 21. Washington University, St. Louis
- 25. Bard College
- 25. Vassar College
- 27. U.S. Air Force Academy
- 28. St. Olaf College
- 28. Reed College
- 28. Vanderbilt University
Much like the Sports & Selectivity ranking, the Nature & Selectivity ranking combines a proxy for difficulty of admission (75% SAT scores) and a score based on proximity to natural immersion. My bias here is towards water and mountains, as lakes, oceans, and rivers to me offer the best natural world escape, but forests, gardens, and simply bucolic atmospheres earn points as well.
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