Resources › For Students and Parents Top New Hampshire Colleges Learn About 5 of the Top Colleges and Universities in New Hampshire Share Flipboard Email Print For Students and Parents College Admissions College Rankings College Admissions Process College Profiles Choosing A College Application Tips Essay Samples & Tips Testing Graphs College Financial Aid Extracurricular Activities Advanced Placement Homework Help Private School Test Prep College Life Graduate School Business School Law School Distance Learning View More by Allen Grove Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with 20 years of experience helping students transition to college. Updated December 26, 2017 Top Ranked U.S. Colleges: Universities | Public Universities | Liberal Arts Colleges | Engineering | Business | Women's | Most Selective | More Top Picks If you want to go to a great college in a state with easy access to excellent skiing, climbing, hiking, and other outdoor activities, take a look at New Hampshire. My top picks for the state range in size from 1,100 students to over 15,000, and the admissions standards vary greatly. The list includes a small Catholic college, an Ivy League school, and a public university. My selection criteria include retention rates, four- and six-year graduation rates, value, student engagement, and notable curricular strengths. I have listed the schools alphabetically rather than forcing them into any kind of artificial ranking; these five schools vary so much in mission and personality that any distinctions in rank would be dubious at best. Adult learners may want to check out Granite State College. The school isn't on my list, but it has great success for an open admissions college catering to part-time students. Compare New Hampshire Colleges: SAT Scores | ACT Scores Colby-Sawyer College Colby-Sawyer College. Josephybrophy / Wikimedia Commons Location: New London, New HampshireEnrollment: 1,111 (1,095 undergraduate)Type of Institution: small college with professional focusDistinctions: 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 17; attractive red-brick campus buildings; strong professional focus; good grant aid; high participation in internships; NCAA Division III athletic programFor acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Colby-Sawyer College profile Dartmouth College Baker Library and Tower at Dartmouth University. Photo Credit: Allen Grove Location: Hanover, New HampshireEnrollment: 6,409 (4,310 undergraduates)Type of Institution: comprehensive private research universityDistinctions: member of the Ivy League; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong programs in the liberal arts and sciences; one of the country's top universities; strong grant aid for qualifying students; excellent athletic facilities and high levels of student participation in sports, impressive 7 to 1 student / faculty ratioExplore the Campus: Dartmouth College Photo TourGPA, SAT and ACT graph for admissionFor acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Dartmouth College profile Franklin Pierce University Mountain view from the Franklin Pierce campus. JBColorado / Flickr Location: Ringe, New HampshireEnrollment: 2,392 (1,763 undergraduates)Type of Institution: small private universityDistinctions: attractive lakeside location with views of Mount Monadnock; 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio; average class size of 16; curriculum blends liberal arts and professional preparation; good grant aid; NCAA Division II athletic programsFor acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Franklin Pierce University profile Saint Anselm College Saint Anselm College. Ericci8996 / Wikimedia Commons Location: Manchester, New HampshireEnrollment: 1,930 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: Catholic liberal arts collegeDistinctions: 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; over 80 student clubs and organizations; popular business and nursing programs; Honors Program to challenge high-achieving students; NCAA Division II athletic programsFor acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Saint Anselm College profile University of New Hampshire, Durham University of New Hampshire. bdjsb7 / Flickr Location: Durham, New HampshireEnrollment: 15,188 (12,857 undergraduates)Type of Institution: public universityDistinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; 18 to 1 student / faculty ratio; sea coast town about an hour from Boston; good value; good 6-year graduation rate for student profile; member of the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association for football, and the America East Conference for many other sportsFor acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the University of New Hampshire profile Continue Reading