Centre College

You'll step onto Centre College's red-brick campus in Danville, Kentucky—a town of 17,000 frozen in time since 1784, with Federal-style homes and a courthouse square where locals still gather for Friday night fish fries. Founded in 1819 by Presbyterian pioneers as one of the first colleges west of the Appalachians, Centre carries a legacy of producing Southern statesmen; alumni include two U.S. Vice Presidents (Adlai Stevenson I and II) and even brief stints from Jefferson Davis and John C. Breckinridge. But don't expect a stuffy relic—today's Centre buzzes with ambitious go-getters who crave deep discussions and small-town charm over big-city distractions. The type of student who thrives here loves leading Model UN sessions or hiking the nearby knobs, but if you need urban nightlife or endless major choices (only 26 undergrad options), the isolation 40 minutes south of Lexington might wear thin after freshman year.