Vassar College regularly makes headlines for its grade-A academics, celebrity sightings (hey there, Arianna Huffington), eco-friendly initiatives (like zipcars and landscaping goats), and professional theatre productions. Now, the school can add “best fall foliage” to its list of accomplishments.
Related: 12 Hudson Valley Schools Make Princeton Review’s “Best 380 Colleges” List
BestCollegeValues.org, a site that provides resources for those looking to further their education, recently included Vassar on its list of “50 Most Beautiful Colleges in Fall.” Ranked 46th, it joins other notable institutions like Cornell (#2), Notre Dame (#4), Yale (#9), Quiinipiac (#21), Dartmouth (#29), and Duke University (#35). It’s not clear what process the authors used to determine the ranking or why many of the Valley’s other schools were excluded — in our opinion, all of our area’s college campuses are exceptionally breathtaking this time of year — and we can’t help but wonder why the home of the Brewers isn’t higher up on the list. But hey, we’ll take it.
History: Vassar College Through the Years
Says the site: “Vassar College has a quaint and beautiful campus located just east of downtown Poughkeepsie in New York. With both Vassar and Sunset Lake right on campus, students can enjoy a scenic stroll and experience all of fall’s colors. With only 2,400 students enrolled on 1,000 acres, there is plenty of space to have a fall picnic in a scenic location…”
Not mentioned, but noteworthy in its own right, is the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve, which stretches across an astounding 527.5 acres and offers miles upon miles of trails, meadows, and sports fields in the heart of the bustling Queen City. Congratulations, Vassar! View the entire list here.
More from Our Fall Guide
When it comes to enjoying autumn, the Hudson Valley scores top marks across the board. The area’s two largest fall film festivals, the Woodstock Film Festival and FilmColumbia, attract thousands of movie buffs — and celebrities — each year. You’d be hard-pressed to find a calendar without apple festivals and apple-picking dates all over it, and don’t even get us started on all that foliage. (Need photographic evidence? Check out the entries from our Fall Foliage Contests if you don’t believe us.)
