The Presbyterian Church U.S.A founded Agnes Scott College for women in 1889 in Decatur, a community in the Atlanta metropolitan area, about 6 miles from downtown. In 2010, U.S. News and World Report ranked the school 59th among all liberal arts colleges in the United States. The most popular baccalaureate programs with the school's nearly 850 students are biology, psychology and history. All students must take classes in foreign language and religion, and they have the option to participate in more than 300 internships throughout the greater Atlanta area. The college offers study abroad and travel-study opportunities, including a semester in Washington, D.C. All full-time freshmen at Agnes Scott receive financial aid, according to the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges." The school does not have any sports teams or Greek organizations, but is home to more than 75 student groups.
Agnes Scott College
141 East College Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
800-868-8602
agnesscott.edu
In 2010, U.S. News and World Report rated the public Georgia Institute of Technology 35th among all universities in the United States. Home to more than 19,400 undergraduate and graduate students, the college's 450-acre campus is just north of downtown Atlanta. The college's highest-rated academic programs include computer science, biology, applied physics, chemistry, earth science and polymer science, explains the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges." Also highly rated and with some of the most popular with students are the school's engineering programs, which feature one dozen specialties such as aeronautical, biomedical and electrical. The university offers for-credit internships and paid cooperative work placements as well as study abroad in more than 30 countries. About 84 percent of freshmen and 71 percent of continuing students receive some type of financial aid, reports Barron's. For athletes, the school has 17 intercollegiate and 40 intramural teams. Forty-eight Greek organizations and more than 300 student groups are located on-campus.
Georgia Institute of Technology
225 North Ave. Northwest
Atlanta, GA 30332
404-894-4154
gatech.edu
Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Emory ranked at 17th among all universities in the United States on U.S. News and World Report's "Best College of 2010." The college's 634-acre campus is 5 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta and is home to more than 12,700 undergraduate and graduate students. The college's largest programs are business administration, psychology and economics, and the school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in numerous other fields, such as nursing, sociology, finance and linguistics. Students can pursue honors versions of any major by completing a senior thesis, and students can complete three-year accelerated bachelor's programs in 10 fields, including physics, mathematics, political science and and English. The college offers internships and study abroad placements as well as a semester in Washington, D.C. Around 60 percent of all students benefit from financial aid, according to the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges." In terms of student life and activities, Emory has 16 intercollegiate and 40 intramural sports teams, 25 Greek organizations and more than 200 student organizations.
Emory University
201 Dowman Drive
Atlanta, GA 30322
404-727-6036
emory.edu