Wellesley, MA., October 2, 2003 — In the first-ever College Destinations Index, 45 major metropolitan areas are ranked in terms of their appeal as higher education destinations.

Developed by Massachusetts-based Collegia, Inc., the 2003 College Destinations Index indicate where the nation’s best and brightest young minds reside, as well as provide clues as to where the next generation of students may be heading. While rankings of specific colleges and universities are now commonplace, no study has so precisely defined and quantified what it is about cities and regions as a whole that make one academic environment more suitable for college than another.

The 2003 College Destinations rankings are split into three different tiers:

· Tier I­ — the 15 largest U.S. metropolitan areas with populations greater than 2.6 million

· Tier II — 15 metropolitan areas with populations between 1 million and 2.6 million with at least one nationally ranked institution

· Tier III — 15 metropolitan areas with populations below 1 million that have at least one nationally ranked university

The statistical methodology of this study was developed in consultation with Professor Norean R. Sharpe at Babson College. Three separate sets of indices (Student Population, City Characteristics, and Lifestyle Attributes) were standardized and then used to calculate the final score for each of the 45 regions included in the study. The variables used in the indices were all on a per capita basis. (Charts may be requested through the Collegia website: www.collegia.com)

Says Sharpe, “The final rankings were influenced by the student concentration, cultural environment, economic health, and general safety factors of the city. For example, the large concentration of a diverse group of students and relatively low crime and unemployment rates helped boost Boston and Raleigh-Durham to the #1 spot in Tier I and Tier II, respectively. In addition, the cultural aspects, such as the number of performing arts venues and museums, seemed to help Boulder jump to the top of Tier III.”

A college’s physical location, and the range of resources that lie just beyond the campus gates, are becoming increasingly important factors in prospective students’ higher education decision. Not only are students realizing that much of their college education will take place outside of the classroom, they are also recognizing that where they go to school may also end up being where they start their career. For prospective students, the 2003 College Destinations Index is an invaluable tool, helping them incorporate key regional considerations into their college decision. It will also help enlighten them about destinations they might never have otherwise considered.

But the College Destinations Index was not just designed for students. All across the country, higher education institutions, civic leaders, tourism agencies, industries and local businesses are realizing that the impact of the college student population—a nearly recession-proof resource which produces billions of dollars in annual revenue—jumpstarts local economies, generates skilled techno-savvy workforces and revitalizes regional character. For all these stakeholders, the 2003 College Destinations Index measures their region’s success in attracting students. It is also a blueprint for better focusing their resources in order to lure more students to their area and keep them there after graduation.

Some of the major findings of the College Destinations rankings include:

 Boston, with its 374,000 students and 15 nationally ranked universities came out on top in Tier I (metro areas with a population greater than 2.6 million);

The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, long recognized as a hub for research and innovation, topped Tier II. (populations between 1 and 2.6 million);

Boulder garnered the top spot among smaller cities (Tier III), confirming its reputation as a lifestyle city as well as an intellectual Mecca.

Some cities didn’t rank as well as might be expected, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, Baltimore, Athens (GA) and Santa Barbara. Issues such as high unemployment, high cost of living, low concentration of students, coupled with a lack of diversity and low innovation, held many of these cities down.

Other cities scoring better than anticipated suggest that there are some less well-known treasures in places like Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Providence, Bloomington and State College. These cities all had strengths in their livability metrics, and scored consistently well across student and lifestyle indices.

Collegia is a consulting firm specializing in connecting colleges and communities. Working with region-specific higher-education clusters, the principals of Collegia have a decade of experience identifying and addressing the unique needs of college prospects and enrolled students.