Ten Awesome Hidden Gem Colleges for Your College List
Last Updated on February 25, 2025 by Jill Schwitzgebel
Over the years that I’ve recommended colleges to students, I’ve uncovered some true hidden gem colleges. These are schools that are often overlooked or underrated for one reason or another. Some of them have already been “discovered,” and are fairly competitive for admission, yet many families still have not heard of them.
Others are widely overlooked, yet provide a great education, often at an affordable price (remember, don’t get intimidated by the sticker price!).
See also: Is a College with Big Name Recognition Always the Best Choice?
There are colleges from around the country on my list of hidden gems. I’ve shared all of these previously on social media, but thought it was about time I compiled them into list format. And, I’m going to stick to listing them in alphabetical order here, rather than choosing favorites. I’ll leave that up to you!
1. Colorado School of Mines
“Mines,” as it is affectionately known, is a public university (making it a bargain for in-state students, though they have students from all 50 states!), but has just under 6,000 students. Its location in Golden, surrounded by mountains and only 20 minutes from Denver, has so much to offer students.
It was founded in 1874 specializing in mining, but now, it’s focused on applied sciences and engineering. With their focus on combining research with classroom learning, Mines graduates are always highly sought after for jobs.
Ithaca College in NY shares the same town as Cornell University, and therefore tends to get overshadowed, which is a shame!
Ithaca is “gorges” – surrounded by gorges and waterfalls, the scenery is gorgeous, but there are also nearby cafes, shops, markets for students not interested in hitting the trails. Ithaca boasts a strong graduation rate, and is home to a music conservatory, as well. But it is perhaps best known for its media/communication/entertainment programs, though it has also carved out a reputation for students interested in pursuing Physical Therapy.
3. Kalamazoo College
Honestly, the midwest is home to so many outstanding liberal arts colleges where students receive a great value education, that it’s hard to pick which ones to feature. But, Kalamazoo is one of the oldest colleges in the country, founded back in 1833.
The author of Colleges that Change Lives/NYT Education editor said, “At no Ivy institution are the students so deeply engaged, so broadly prepared, or so heavily invested in a sense of community as at Kalamazoo. In short, no Ivy school is likely to have as much impact on a youth’s development.” Perhaps this is why they were recently honored as a top producer of Fulbright scholars.
And bonus – 98% of K students receive financial aid and/or scholarships!
4. Lake Forest College
Let’s head back to the midwest for another underrated college – Lake Forest College, a liberal arts college in Illinois, dating back to 1857.
Though I’m not a fan of traditional college rankings (though Lake Forest does well in those!), Lake Forest College is rated highly in social mobility by multiple major publications and also ranks highly in several publications for best value, with 95% of students receiving some amount of financial aid from the institution. They also made Princeton Review’s list as one of the top colleges in the country for internships.
With its classic architecture and mature trees, Lake Forest College is even a popular location for filming movies!
5. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The northeast has so many terrific colleges that people outside of the region may not know much about. But, after a recent visit, I decided to focus on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, aka “RPI.”
RPI is just outside of Albany, in Troy, which turned out to be a town with lots to offer (the Saturday morning Farmers Market is not to be missed). RPI is certainly best known for its engineering/comp sci programs (and in 2024, home to the most powerful supercomputer at a private university) though they also excel in architecture and are known to make it easy to double major in very different academic areas. Their EMPAC performing arts center is an incredibly cool space, in addition to their RPI Playhouse, which hosts a student-run theater group that has put on over 300 shows. RPI is not just about STEM!
Rhodes is one of the few liberal arts colleges located in a metropolitan area. But in addition, it’s known for its gorgeous campus. Most importantly, the college also earns consistent praise for the quality of its teaching, which is a huge point of pride. Rhodes provides 86 percent of first-year students with merit-based aid and 57 percent with need-based aid.
The college says, “Rhodes College graduates students with The Rhodes Edge, which is an educational and residential experience that ensures that graduates are intellectually ready to tackle the world’s most pressing problems; leadership ready to create equitable and prosperous communities; and career and graduate school ready to succeed in tomorrow’s economy.”
7. St. Olaf
St. Olaf is a small liberal arts college (3000 students) that sometimes gets overlooked, thanks to better known nearby Carleton College. But St. Olaf also boasts a high graduation rate, partially thanks to their emphasis on interdisciplinary, practical educational experiences, and faculty who are highly engaged with their students. Their music ensembles are widely known and award-winning, making it a destination for many musical students.
Despite a high “sticker price,” 93% of students receive aid in the form of scholarships or grants, with an average of a $38,700 given in need-based aid. In fact, St. Olaf says they will meet 100% of financial need!
8. Santa Clara University
In the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University (SCU) often gets overlooked, especially on the national level, due to nearby Stanford and UC Berkeley. But it’s a great college in its own right, and the oldest higher education institution in the state of CA.
SCU is a Jesuit university, with a beautiful campus and weather, and around 5500 undergraduates on campus. Due to its location, the opportunities for all kinds of internships abound! The university is proud to be consistently highly ranked for the quality of their undergraduate teaching, as well as the recognition they’ve received for their students’ high level of participation in community service.
9. University of Denver
As this private college’s name suggests, it’s in a fabulous location – Denver, CO. With about 11,600 students on campus, it’s a medium sized R1 research school, which can be harder to find than you’d expect. Princeton Review just ranked DU #1 for “Students who love their college,” perhaps thanks to their signature “4D Experience” which focuses on intellectual growth, well-being, character and career skill-building. And despite the sticker price, I recently had an academically solid student receive a scholarship that would have brought their cost easily in line with some Big 10 state flagships, in-state!
10. Whitman College
Whitman College at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla, WA, which besides being historic, is also described as “the perfect college town.”
Whitman is a top-rated liberal arts college and makes the Colleges That Change Lives list. The college prides itself on its collaborative, rather than competitive, academic environment. They also offer a unique “Outdoor Program” that includes a state-of-the-art climbing center, a full schedule of weekend trips, and even for-credit courses.
For career development, they offer a Community and Career Engagement center, and Whitman will even pay students whose internships are unpaid.
