Top 50 fittest universities/colleges in the U.S. ...

#10 Vanderbilt

Maybe Vanderbilt doesn’t technically have an athletics department, but that doesn’t mean its students don’t play sports, and it certainly makes it more impressive that this school was able to hold its own among the nation’s fittest colleges. In 2003 the school’s chancellor integrated the varsity sports program into the Office of Student Life, which also holds the responsibility of handling all 400 of Vanderbilt’s student organizations. Despite predictions to the contrary, the sports program has grown successfully since the change. Plus, with a historically picturesque campus as its backdrop, and access to a top-of-the-line rec facility that comes fully equipped with a wellness center dedicated to helping students lead healthy, active lives, it’s really no surprise that Vandy also has an exceptionally high quality of life rating (among the ten best in the country, says Princeton Review) and a top-ten spot on our list, too.

#16 Georgia

Being one of the three oldest public Universities in the U.S. (along with UNC-Chapel Hill and the College of William and Mary), the University of Georgia is clearly committed to longevity. This school is best known for its influential research programs, but hard work in the lab is well balanced with fortitude on the field. The Bulldogs lay claim to 39 national championship titles and over 120 conference championships. Plus, the Ramsey Student Center is one of the largest recreational facilities in the entire U.S. It takes up a whopping 8 acres of land and has 2 gyms, 3 pools, a suspended track, a rock climbing wall, a 14-foot bouldering wall, 10 racquetball courts, 8 basketball courts, and a 19,000-square-foot weight-lifting room. If that’s not enough to convince you that this is one of the most fit schools in the country, maybe it would also help to know that the university is among the Princeton Review's top 20 schools for both food and health services.

#25 Missouri

Varsity sports are a major part of the culture at Mizzou, but that’s not the main reason why it’s on this list. The school’s top-notch rec facilities and fitness programs scored it big points: the rec center, named the best in the nation by Sports Illustrated in 2005, houses a menu of programs that would give any private gym a run for its money. For only $53 a semester, the TigerX program has a well-organized lineup of classes from Zumba to endurance cycling that run from early morning to night. Students also have the opportunity to take sub-$100 courses to become fitness instructors, yoga teachers, spin instructors or personal trainers, and there are also boot camps for students who really take their fitness seriously. This is to say nothing of one of the school’s most unique amenities: the Tiger Grotto, an indoor resort-style complex with palm trees, a lazy river and waterfall. “I'd stay at Mizzou just for the rec,” quipped one College Prowler user, “but that's not practical.”

#26 South Carolina

Princeton Review’s tenth-ranked school for jocks, USC (not to be confused with a certain university in Southern California) is a no-bones-about-it sports school. And by sports, we mean football. Of course, there’s more here for the average non-varsity athlete than tailgating and cheering from the stands. USC has two huge rec centers, including the 10-year-old Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center, a 192,000-square-foot super gym that rates among the best of the best: it’s got a 52-foot climbing wall, two pools, lots of gym space, cardio and weightlifting decks, and outdoor amenities as well. The Strom also has very student-friendly hours of 6 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, so that nobody has to miss a workout because of a busy class schedule.

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