5 New Hampshire Colleges Educating The Next Generation

The Granite State has many natural wonders, and, like much of New England, offers unique historical and cultural sites. Given this, it's no wonder that it is also home to dozens of illustrious institutions of higher education. This list, in no particular order, shares some outstanding colleges in New Hampshire.

Kicking off our list at #1 is Keene State College, located in the eponymous New Hampshire city. The school has a robust study abroad program, which includes semester programs, summer options, and faculty-led courses with an international component. There are academic opportunities in various countries such as Morocco, Australia, and Italy.

Keene State's Community Service Office serves as a resource for students to connect with co-curricular service initiatives in partnership with local, regional, and international communities. The Alternative Break program consists of domestic and international volunteer-based trips during the school's seasonal breaks, as well as on select weekends throughout the academic year.

The #2 entry is the Community College System of New Hampshire. This public network of higher education consists of several colleges located across the state, all offering two-year associate degrees and certificate programs. These programs are designed to align with career opportunities and four-year university transfer pathways.

Schools in the system include River Valley Community College and Great Bay Community College. Students can major in a variety of disciplines, such as industry and transportation, business, and health sciences. White Mountains, another school in the system, has a culinary arts degree, and partners with the Omni Mount Washington Resort to offer a three-year apprenticeship program.

Next up, at #3, we have Southern New Hampshire University, a private, non-profit, accredited institution. Once a school of accounting and secretarial science, it now offers hundreds of programs, from certificates to doctoral-level degrees in fields such as business, education, liberal arts, social sciences, and STEM.

Students who are active-duty military members can receive tuition discounts and special transfer-credit policies. SNHU also has dedicated advisors to support these students and has a number of scholarship opportunities available for service-members. In 2020, the school was named "Most Innovative University in the North" by U.S. News & World Report.

For #4, we present Colby-Sawyer College. This liberal arts and sciences institution, located in the Lake Sunapee Region of central New Hampshire, offers small class sizes of fewer than 19 students, so that young scholars get personal attention in a challenging yet supportive academic environment.

Colby-Sawyer has a variety of majors and minors available, including social work, health science, graphic design, and pre-law. The Sustainable Learning Initiative at Franklin Falls is an experiential learning opportunity for Colby-Sawyer College students to explore, design, and develop sustainable solutions to real community needs in the nearby city of Franklin.

Finally, the #5 entry, New England College, is a private, non-profit institution, located in the town of Henniker. The school adheres to "experiential learning," having professors incorporate hands-on experience into the curriculum so students graduate with a more well-rounded, tangible education.

Students can pursue a variety of majors at the college, such as business and art and design. Its immersive study away program allows students to travel to various locations over winter or spring break at no extra cost, with the trip being included with tuition. Courses include criminal justice in Washington, D.C. and marine biology in Belize.