The Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, is on the Forbes list of the best colleges in the nation. It was number 60 in 2010 among all colleges and universities in the nation. Virginia Military Institute is America's oldest state-supported military college, and has 14 majors in science, engineering and the humanities. Twenty-four minors and concentrations are also available for students. The college also boasts an 11:1 professor to student ratio and is distinguished by its military focus.
Washington and Lee University, also in Lexington, is ranked number 37 on the Forbes list. The university was founded in 1749, and is named for two of the most influential men in the history of America. The college has two main undergraduate divisions which are the main college and the Williams School of Commerce, Economics and Politics. It also has The School of Law, which is one of the smallest nationally recognized law schools in the country. The undergraduate program offers 40 majors and 20 minors. The historic campus houses the grave of Robert E. Lee.
The University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville, Virginia, is ranked number 44 on the Forbes list. The school was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819; he wanted a publicly supported school that had a national reputation. It was the first nonsectarian school in America and also the first to offer practical degrees for leaders and public servants rather than just for the classroom or the church. The University of Virginia has 11 different schools within the university offering majors in different fields as well as graduate studies.
The College of William and Mary, located in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, is the second oldest college in the nation and has a ranking of 46 on the Forbes list. It is the second oldest college in America, and is a cutting-edge research university. The university is considered a "Public Ivy," and is only one of only eight other colleges in the nation with this distinction. The college has five undergraduate schools, over 30 majors and 10 graduate degrees.