Montana Hidden Gems

List produced by the Experts

• Montana State University — Bozeman (Bozeman, MT): Montana State was ranked as one of Outside magazine's "40 Best College Towns" in 2003. The university offers architecture, film, and extreme outdoor sports, and holds fast and true to the statement "looking for ways to accept applicants and keep them in school."
• The University of Montana (Missoula, MT): This good-sized (about 12,000 undergraduates) state university provides a wide offering of academic options, so an average student could find a fit in terms of major. Given the school's many outdoor lifestyle options, it's no wonder that Rolling Stone magazine called Missoula the "most scenic campus in America," and Outside magazine rated it "among the top 10 colleges nationally for combining academic quality and outdoor recreation."