As the summer comes to an end, a new crop of college freshmen are starting to move to a campus that will become their home away from home for the next four years.
For those wondering how their new college residence stacks up against the competition, Niche, a company that researches and compiles information on schools, publishes a ranking of the best college campuses in America.
Niche compiled its list using a mix of quantitative and qualitative factors including student campus surveys, meal-plan costs, on-campus housing and availability, and access to amenities.
Scroll through to find out its picks for the 15 best college campuses in America.
15. Rice University
Houston
Survey on campus housing: 4.4 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $4,310
Student retention rate: 96%
14. Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
Survey on campus housing:3.8 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: N/A
Student retention rate: 94%
13. University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Survey on campus housing:3.7 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $3,032
Student retention rate: 95%
12. Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah
Survey on campus housing:4.0 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: N/A
Student retention rate: 87%
11. James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Survey on campus housing:3.9 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $4,748
Student retention rate: 92%
10. Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
Survey on campus housing:4.4 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $6,400
Student retention rate: 98%
9. Stanford University
Stanford, California
Survey on campus housing:4.3 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $5,761
Student retention rate: 98%
8. Grand Canyon University
Phoenix
Survey on campus housing:4.4 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $4,000
Student retention rate: 62%
7. University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Survey on campus housing:3.7 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $3,956
Student retention rate: 94%
6. California Baptist University
Riverside, California
Survey on campus housing:4.2 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $4,760
Student retention rate: 83%
5. University of California at Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Survey on campus housing:3.9 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: N/A
Student retention rate: 97%
4. Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine
Survey on campus housing:4.6 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $7,000
Student retention rate: 98%
3. Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia
Survey on campus housing:4.2 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $3,300
Student retention rate: 69%
2. Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
Survey on campus housing:3.8 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $3,730
Student retention rate: 93%
1. Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis
Survey on campus housing:4.5 out of 5
Average meal-plan cost: $4,794
Student retention rate: 97%