Denison University

Denison University, in Granville, Ohio, may be among the few colleges, if not the only one, with a mountain in a different state named after it. Mount Denison, one of the highest peaks on the Alaskan peninsula, was named in the school's honor by a 1909 graduate. Despite the school's steep sticker price, about half of all students get tuition discounts or grants from the college. Those who do can expect a significant break: The average grant is around $25,000. The school is able to maintain a decent graduation rate. Denison's most popular majors are spread across the liberal arts spectrum, from biology and economics to English and psychology, and even fine arts. The university's improv group, Burpee's Seedy Theatrical Company, is the oldest collegiate improv group in the nation. It's also where actor Steve Carell earned his comedic chops before The Daily Show and The Office. Denison also has some star power in its campus design: The landscape was designed by the same architecture firm that styled New York City's Central Park, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., and Stanford University in California. Granville itself is a quiet town with New England flavor that dates back to early 19th century settlers who came from Massachusetts. Restless students might be happy to know that Columbus, the state capital and home of behemoth Ohio State University, is just a 35-minute drive away.