University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California

The University of California, Santa Cruz lies on 2,000 acres of rolling hills directly above the Monterrey Bay. Students take full advantage of the beautiful campus, hiking and jogging the miles of trails and exploring the redwoods.

Rice University, Houston, Texas

Rice University sits on a heavily wooded piece of land near Houston's museum district. Legend has it that there's a tree for every student. Campus architecture, Byzantine in style, features large archways and columns.

University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California

The University of California, San Diego is situated on 1,200 acres of coastal woodland next by the Pacific Ocean. Public art projects dot the campus, including a colorful winged statue known as the Sun God.

Occidental College, Los Angeles, California

Occidental College is a small liberal arts school located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock. Much of the campus is done in a Mediterranean style, with tile roofs and covered walkways.

Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University is located in Bloomington, Indiana, which is about 45 minutes from Indianapolis. Much of the campus was built during the Great Depression from Indiana limestone found locally.

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University is a renowned research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. The oldest section of campus features plenty of trees and green space, which provides a nice respite from the surrounding city.

Flagler College, St. Augustine, Florida

Flagler College is located in St. Augustine, on the northeastern coast of Florida. The nearest beach is only five miles from campus, making it an ideal school for those who love to soak up the sun.

United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The United States Air Force Academy is located in the snow-covered mountains of Colorado Springs. Young cadets build leadership skills as well as character traits essential for military service. (Photo by: AFP/Getty Images)

Scripps College, Claremont, California

Scripps College is a small women's liberal arts school located in Claremont, California. The college focuses most activities on helping the environment. So it's no surprise that the campus is appreciated by so many.

Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Duke University is situated on about 9,000 acres of land in Durham, North Carolina. Students sometimes refer to the campus as "the Gothic Wonderland" due to the predominant architecture of its West Campus. (Photo by Sara D. Davis/Getty Images)

Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College is known for its beautiful campus, which includes botanic gardens set against the scenic Massachusetts countryside. Its all-female student body receives a first-rate education from this highly ranked institution.

Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut

Trinity College is located in Hartford, Connecticut's capital and largest metro area. But the seemingly endless trees let students experience a more traditional New England way of living.

Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio

Don't let the castle-like buildings of Kenyon College deceive you. This small liberal arts school, located in central Ohio, enrolls only 1,600 students. The campus matches Collegiate Gothic architecture with a rustic setting.

Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

With buildings dating as far back as 1701, Yale University is one of the world's great historic universities. The campus is located in New Haven, Connecticut, giving it a colonial, New England vibe with a hint of gothic and contemporary. (Photo by Christopher Capozziello/Getty Images)

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, founded the University of Virginia and considered it one of his biggest accomplishments. The school was established in 1819, but didn't grant its first degree until 1824. Before that time, they were considered "artificial embellishments."

Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University is one of only nine colonial colleges established before the American Revolution. The campus features Collegiate Gothic-style buildings on a well-groomed campus.

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

In addition to being the nation's oldest school, Harvard University is also one of its most beautiful. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, much of the school's campus surrounds Harvard Yard and extends along the banks of the Charles River. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Newsmakers)

University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

The University of Chicago, located in the Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods of Chicago, is considered one of the most beautiful metropolitan campuses. The first buildings were patterned after buildings at the University of Oxford.

Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Bryn Mawr College is home to about 1,300 undergraduate women. The school was established in 1885 with hopes that women would be "intellectual peers of men." The campus is an arboretum, with many of the older buildings inspired by Cambridge University.