The top five most popular colleges for Orono students to apply to are the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, the University of Minnesota – Duluth, the University of Wisconsin – Madison, the University of St. Thomas, and Iowa State University. “When I think about my students, the choices are for different reasons. It often has to do with the reputation of the particular school,” said OHS Guidance counselor Shana Borgen.

Location seems to be the largest factor in the similarities. The twenty most popular schools are almost all located in the state of Minnesota or bordering states such as Iowa, Wisconsin, and North Dakota, with exceptions for the University of Denver, the University of Colorado – Boulder, and Northwestern University in Illinois. “Madison, Iowa State, and the U of M are popular because of the Big 10 atmostphere they offer,” said Borgen.

Andrea Conover is the News Editor for The Spartan Speaks.