We have to start this post with a disclaimer: we do not recommend selecting a college based solely on how fun the football games are. That said, we do like a good game of sports ball. And when it comes to college, you should be able to have fun where you end up. For you, that may mean a few tailgates and choreographed fight songs. After all, college isn’t just about classes and grades. You should enjoy yourself inside and outside of the classroom. For many students, that means getting sports into the mix.
It isn’t just about football. Sports culture is about community, and the ten schools below are places where students, faculty, and community come together to celebrate a shared love for their school and their team. These are also schools where students who aren’t collegiate athletes have the opportunity to play a sport they love at the intermural or club level.
Don’t choose a school based on the sports culture, but if you’re stuck on a way to narrow down your list and like watching a game, this is a great place to start.
University of Michigan —Ann Arbor, Michigan
Duh. The iconic “Big House” at the University of Michigan packs 100,000 fans in for their raucous football games. Students have access to affordable season tickets for football, basketball, and hockey, and all other matches are free for students with their ID. Dozens of Michigan alumni have made the US Olympic teams, and there are 30+ club teams for students who were competitive varsity athletes in high school. For students who want to play, but aren’t as into the idea of practice, there are over a dozen intramural sports for students who want a more relaxed experience.
University of Notre Dame —Notre Dame, Indiana
It’s hard to pick out a singular sport at Notre Dame as they have proved themselves to be exceptional in nearly every major sport. The over 2 dozen varsity teams at Notre Dame regularly make to the top of their leagues, earning Notre Dame the moniker “The Fighting Irish.” There are also tons of intramural sports for students who want to fight their own battle between game days.
Middlebury College —Middlebury, Vermont
Middlebury offers one of the top DIII athletic programs in the country, reminding us that a school doesn’t need to be big nor DI to have a great sports culture. Middlebury is one of two colleges in the country that owns a ski area, and more than 1 in 5 students play a sport making it one of the most active college campuses in the country too.
University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, Wisconsin
Nearly anywhere in the world, you can find a place to watch the Badgers. That is to say, a restaurant or bar that is particularly fond of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Men’s basketball and football teams. Both teams have massive followings on and off campus, but if you want to have a wild college experience try being in the football stadium before the 4th quarter when 80,000 fans jump in unison to “Jump Around.” They say the stadium literally shakes.
Duke University — Durham, North Carolina
Duke University is often referred to as a southern Ivy. While that designation is hotly debated, what people can’t debate is whether their basketball is any good. Duke has some of the best basketball in the country and the iconic stadium seats over 9,000. There is far more demand than there are seats, so students camp out for weeks to get into the biggest basketball games.
University of Texas at Austin — Austin, Texas
Games at the University of Texas at Austin are masses of swaying orange shirts, and the fun only starts with coordinated outfits. The Hook ‘em Horns hand symbol is one of the best recognized not-so-secret handshakes in the world, and despite being introduced way back in 1955 has only exploded in recognition. When you go to football games, watch out the for the artillery. The Longhorns fire a replica civil war-era cannon throughout the football games, a dramatic tradition that’s got us quaking in our boots.
Dartmouth College — Hanover, New Hampshire
Located in rural Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth College isn’t known for football or basketball, but they dominate in winter sports like Nordic (cross country) and alpine skiing. Dartmouth is one of the two colleges in America that owns and operates their own ski hill, and the “Winter Carnival” circuit among colleges in the Northeast and New England bring students together from around the region for competition, celebration, and comradery.
The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill— Chapel Hill, North Carolina
At the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels men’s basketball team regularly gets into the Final Four and the UNC v. Duke games are known to go wild. Apparently, though, the true powerhouse is the women’s soccer team. Whatever your sport, you’re in good company at UNC where the competitive spirit permeates from the stadiums to the statistics lectures.
Princeton University — Princeton, New Jersey
At Princeton, nearly one in every four students is a varsity athlete. To accommodate their large population of student-athletes, Princeton doesn’t schedule any classes during the key team practice times so students don’t have to choose between their team and their academics. The system works. Princeton teams have won over 200 national titles in a variety of sports.
University of Connecticut — Storrs, Connecticut
What do you get when you combine a powerhouse basketball program with a state devoid of any professional sports teams? At the University of Connecticut, this equation adds up to a basketball program with a passionate following. The UConn women’s basketball team is particularly storied, but all sports receive more attention than they would at a school in a state with professional sports to distract from the collegiate competitions.
If you want to get to the fun part of the college application process, send us an email. We work with students to get into their dream schools.