9. Atlanta, GA
As far as things to do, Atlanta, GA is one of the gems of the south. Between the giant aquarium, major league sports teams, booming businesses and much, much more, it’s a great place to be a college student. Georgia Tech provides a top-notch education, but not without losing out on the ACC experience, where the Yellow Jackets compete at a high level, particularly in football. There’s also Emory University, which is routinely ranked as having one of the prettiest campuses in America (and for good reason).
They said it:
Vaishak, Computer Science Major at Georgia Tech:
"Atlanta is an awesome city to be in as a student. It’s home to some incredible universities such as Georgia Tech and Emory. These universities are top-ranked colleges in the US. Atlanta also offers cheap housing compared to other major cities, which makes it a lot more affordable as a student. It also has a lot of variety – from Midtown to Buckhead to Edgewood, there is a huge range in food, drink and culture. On the career side, Atlanta Tech Village is a growing startup scene, with already famous alum such as Yik Yak. If you like nature and parks, the gigantic Piedmont park is in the heart of Midtown and is only a mile away from Georgia Tech’s campus. In the middle of Piedmont park is a lake, with open fields and paths surrounding it for sport and relaxing strolls. As far as college towns go, Atlanta is not a typical one, but it certainly is amazing!"