Best Colleges in Tennessee

Vanderbilt University

• Vanderbilt University, in the state's capital city of Nashville, opened in 1873. Originally intended as an all-male college, women began attending the university two years later. The university ranks in the top tier of "U.S. News & World Report" Best Colleges 2010, coming in 17th in the National Universities category. About 12,000 students attend the university, pursuing degree options including American studies, divinity, economics and the sciences. Bachelor's, master's and doctorates are available with research opportunities in engineering and nursing, among other disciplines. The university has a medical center for training and education as well as treating the public. The university admits only 25 percent of its applicants, so prospective students should be aware of deadlines and qualifications.

  Vanderbilt University
  211 Kirkland Hall
  Nashville, TN 37240
  615-322-7311
  vanderbilt.edu

University of Tennessee Knoxville

• The University of Tennessee Knoxville, in the state's oldest city, opened in 1794 as Blount College. Originally a school for men, women first enrolled in 1892. The 560- acre campus has more than 27,000 students. Disciplines include engineering, architecture and design as well as veterinary medicine and law. A fellowship program for doctoral students in fields including chemistry, physics and chemical engineering involves research related to national energy priorities. The collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a federal scientific lab in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, offers an annual $30,000 stipend.

  The University of Tennessee
  Knoxville, TN 37996
  865-974-1000
  utk.edu

Sewanee: University of the South

• Sewanee, which opened in 1857 in a town of the same name, ranks in the top tier of "U.S. News" Best Colleges 2010 listings in the Liberal Arts Colleges division. Students at Sewanee can pursue Asian studies, classical languages, Chinese and women's studies as well as courses in Sewanee's School of Theology. The school also offers a number of fellowship opportunities, allowing undergraduates and graduates to study elsewhere within the U.S. or abroad. The university also sponsors the Sewanee Writers' Conference and Sewanee School of Letters, which are open to high school students through graduate students.

  Sewanee: The University of the South
  735 University Ave.
  Sewanee, TN 37383
  931-598-1000
  sewanee.edu