Appalachian
State University Not far from
Banner Elk in Boone,
North Carolina is
Appalachian State
University, a Time
magazine ‘College of
the Year’. The
university has
gained a great deal
of national
attention lately as
the Mountaineers
have won three
consecutive NCAA
Division 1 FSC
national
championship titles
in the past three
years. Athletic
accomplishments
aside, ASU is rated
as one of the finest
institutions of
higher learning in
the nation and
enjoys a well earned
reputation for
providing
outstanding academic
programs. ASU has
garnered high praise
from a number of
authoritative
sources such as
Consumer Digest
magazine’s listing
of the top 50 best
values for public
colleges and
universities as well
as Kiplinger’s
Personal Finance
magazine’s “100 Best
Values in Public
Colleges”.
Being
located in one of
the South’s premier
tourist and outdoor
recreation
destinations is a
huge selling point
for prospective
students to ASU. The
school is located in
downtown Boone, NC
and has an
enrollment of just
under 16,000
students, all of
whom benefit from a
student to faculty
ratio of 17:1, one
of the highest in
the nation.
Few schools in the
nation can offer
such a wide range of
outdoor activities.
The Blue Ridge
Parkway, Pisgah
National Forest,
Grandfather
Mountain, four ski
resorts
(Appalachian,
Hawksnest, Beech
Mountain and Sugar
Mountain), numerous
golf courses and
several whitewater
rivers literally
surround the campus.
Each of these is no
more than a thirty
minute drive from
the ASU campus.
The 1,300 acre
campus including a
410 acre main campus
features 19 academic
buildings, a 210,000
square foot library,
4 dining facilities,
11 recreational and
athletic facilities
including Kidd
Brewer stadium, home
of the Mountaineers
football team.
Appalachian State
University draws its
student body from
all around the
nation; it is quite
a testament to the
school as well as
the allure and
beauty of the area
that many of these
students choose to
live here long after
they have finished
their studies.
Lees-McRae
College
Lees-McRae,
located in Banner
Elk NC, is a private
four-year liberal
arts college
offering a smaller
alternative to its
larger neighbor ASU. The college has
seven academic
divisions, including
Business and
Information Systems,
Social Sciences,
Humanities,
Performing Arts, and
Science and
Mathematics. The
Lees-McRae Bobcats
compete in NCAA
Division II play in
Conference
Carolinas, and are
National Champions
in Division I for
cycling.
With an
enrollment of around
900, students have
the advantage of
being a name, not a
number at
Lees-McRae. The college offers
more than 25 majors
leading to both
Bachelor of Arts and
Bachelor of Science
degrees. The
Honors Program at
Lees-McRae College
offers a challenging
and supportive
learning environment
for highly motivated
and academically
gifted students. The Honors faculty
is noted for their
excellence in
teaching and uses a
sophisticated
approach in the
classroom.
The beauty of the
Appalachian
Mountains is
reflected on
Lees-McRae's 400
acre campus, with 30
buildings most of
which are
constructed of
native river rock.
Students who come
here are usually
very
outdoor-oriented,
taking advantage of
the beautiful
mountains they call
home.
Please
click on the
links below
for more
area
information:
Being
located in one of
the South’s premier
tourist and outdoor
recreation
destinations is a
huge selling point
for prospective
students to ASU. The
school is located in
downtown Boone, NC
and has an
enrollment of just
under 16,000
students, all of
whom benefit from a
student to faculty
ratio of 17:1, one
of the highest in
the nation. 
