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See the full story · 1 sourcesYale University is largely considered one of the most beautiful college campuses in the US. f11photo/Getty Images
Universities across the US feature diverse architectural styles, from Gothic to Greek Revival.
Some college campuses are inspired by their colleges' histories, like Flagler College in Florida.
Others are designed to highlight lush natural landscapes, like Berry College in Georgia.
Summer is nearing its end, and students across the country are preparing to say goodbye to their summer jobs and pack their bags for college.
For some of America's most fortunate students, study days will soon be filled with views of botanical gardens and glass-and-marble libraries.
Aside from being breeding grounds for US presidents , founders, and world leaders, many elite universities also boast of some of the most extravagant and breathtaking architecture in the US.
While choosing a school solely based on its looks might not be the best idea, a college campus 's architecture and amenities can certainly shape its atmosphere and student experience.
Business Insider listed the most beautiful college campuses in each state, based on published rankings and unique architectural and historical features of each institution.
ALABAMA: Spring Hill College in Mobile
St. Joseph's Chapel. Tiago Pestana/Shutterstock
Founded in 1830 by Mobile's first Catholic bishop, Michael Portier, this Southern institution — named one of the South's most beautiful campuses by Southern Living — was among the first Catholic colleges established in the Southeast.
Several of its buildings have been recognized and added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The 381-acre liberal arts college, enveloped by pink azaleas, features a Greek Revival home that doubles as the commencement venue; an expansive green field at the steps of the library; and the St. Joseph Chapel, where rock legend Jimmy Buffett married his first wife, Margie Washichek, in 1969, according to the college.
Oh, and did we mention there's an 18-hole golf course on campus?
ALASKA: University of Alaska Fairbanks in Fairbanks
Lumir Pecold/Getty Images
The University of Alaska spans 2,250 acres, has multiple community and rural campuses across the state, and is one of the oldest universities in Alaska.
Its in-house museum, the Museum of the North, was designed by award-winning architect Joan Soranno. It was part of Architectural Digest's 2018 "most iconic buildings in America" list and has won several national awards since its opening in 2005.
The museum's design was inspired by Alaska's natural surroundings and meant to evoke "images of alpine ridges, glaciers, breakup on the Yukon River and the aurora," according to the University of Alaska .
ARIZONA: University of Arizona in Tucson
The University of Arizona campus in Tucson is full of desert plants and red-bricked halls. Jim Brown/Getty Images
The University of Arizona campus in Tucson is full of desert plants and red-bricked halls.
Surrounded by the beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains , the roughly 400-acre campus features rows of red-brick halls, towering palm trees lining its walkways, and a nationally recognized public garden home to many desert plants.
ARKANSAS: University of Arkansas in Fayetteville
Natalia Bratslavsky/Shutterstock
Set in the Ozark foothills of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas weaves its history into its campus design, with red-brick halls and tree-shaded walkways that span the 512-acre campus.
The school's historic core district, which includes 15 buildings, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Old Main building — which is the oldest and most recognizable structure on campus — was added to the register in 1970.
CALIFORNIA: University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley, is modeled after the Beaux-Arts style. Takako Phillips/Getty Images
Once a 2-acre site in Oakland, UC Berkeley 's grounds have now grown into a sprawling 178-acre campus.
In the 1860s, college administrators worked with Frederick Law Olmsted, the architect of New York City's Central Park , to design a plan for the new campus. By 1898, as enrollment increased, a competition was held to appoint a new architect, and French architect Emile Bénard won first place.
While Bénard presented his formal Beaux-Arts vision for the new campus, he declined to serve as the supervising architect, and John Galen Howard — who finished fourth — was instead chosen to oversee the project.
COLORADO: University of Colorado Boulder in Boulder
Jen Lobo/Getty Images
The University of Colorado Boulder 's campus underwent a transformation between 1918 and 1939, when American architect Charles Klauder — whose other notable works include Cornell University, Penn State University, and Princeton University — was hired to revamp it, Architectural Digest reported.
Klauder added a touch of Tuscan Vernacular Revival style that came to be associated with the college and was also known as the University of Colorado style. The updated campus grounds featured multi-hued sandstone walls and red roofs.
Several other buildings were built in the Collegiate Gothic style , and traces of it can still be seen in older buildings across the campus.
CONNECTICUT: Yale University in New Haven
f11photo/Shutterstock
Elements of traditional Collegiate Gothic and modernist styles co-exist on Yale University's 261-acre campus. Modern structures, including architect Eero Saarinen's Ingalls Rink and the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, stand out against the classical buildings.
Founded in 1701, Yale University is the third-oldest college in the country.
DELAWARE: University of Delaware in Newark
James Kirkikis/Shutterstock
Lush manicured lawns and a mix of red-brick and Collegiate Gothic-style buildings make up much of the University of Delaware.
Established in 1743, the university is home to 21...
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